New-York tribune., 1919-12-20
Nurses Union
Formed Under
A.F.L. Charter
500 Organize in New York
and Brooklyn Hospitals
to Get 8-Hour Day and
Higher Wage Standard

More than five hundred nurses en-
ployed in hospitals in New York and
Brooklyn have formed a union affili-
ated with the American Federation of
Labor, and will present demands. both
to TIE city authorities and hospital
superlntendents, for readjustment of
hours and wages. The name of the new
organization is the Trained Nurses AS
sociatlon, Local 16.461, A. F. of L.. with
headquarters in the Rand School Build
ing, 7 East Fifteenth Street. The
Womens Trade Union. League is CO.
operating with the organization. it was
declared yesterday.
First news of the formation of the
union was received at several hospitals
Yesterday when circulars signed with
the name Of the union and by Mrs.
Rose Maxwell. its secretary, of 94s Ber
gen Street. Brooklyn. were distributed.
Ihe chief grievance of the nurses,
Mrs. Maxwell said, is their long hours.
The average working day of a graduate
nurse, Mrs. Maxwell said, was twelve
hours. Mrs Maxwell said that it was
the purpose of the union to organize
al the 5000 trained curses employed in
the hospitals of Brooklyn and New
York, and eventually to extend the or
ganizat,on throughout the state. Mrs
Maxwell added that as result of the,
formation of the union a number OF
hospitals have already made certain re-
adjustments in the hours of labor for
nurses and have granted the eight-hour
day for student nurses. Mrs Maxwell
SAID that the union intended to obtain
The elght-hour day for all nurses
Wages OF trained nurses have also been
increased from So to S6 a day This,
however, applies only to nurses doing
private work. According to Mrs Max
we'll, the average wage received by
graduate nurses employed in hospitals
is $50 MONTH
Following is an abstract of the cir
cular distributed by the new union:
Some say, is it professional for
nurses to organize? 1t is professional
and in keeping with professional dig
NIFTY Tor nurses to work twelve hours
and more day, thereby being virtually
reduced to the status of slaves.
Professional Men Cited
doctors and lawyers are organized
professionally in their medical societies
and bar associations. Are they ashamed
of it? Not at all. These organizations
maintain certain standard.
Until recently school teachers
thought it beneath their dignity to or
ganize into union. To-day thousands
of teachers are members Of the Teach
crs' Union. which is affiliated with the
American Federation OF Labor
"Tailors, bricklayers, carpenters,
lronworkers, etc. are working eight
hours a day. They have not gone
through a three year difficult training
course. Human life is not dependent
upon their effort. Yet they work only
eight hours a day, whereas you work
twelve hours day.
with an eight hour day you will
have time for recreation or further
study 1t will give you chance to
overcome the severe strain you have
been undergoing. The community will
receive better and more conscientious
service. Sister nurses. do you want an
eighthour day? Il depends upon you,
and you alone"
a report that the nurses of New
York Hospital have submitted an ulti-
Matum to the hospital authorities that
unless certain readjustments in their
working conditions were conceded they
would strike was emphatically denied
both by the hospital auth critics and
the nurses themselves Yesterday