Esteemed Members of the Executive Board,

We, the undersigned NYSNA members, are writing with profound concern regarding the recent decision to terminate full support for NYRN, a move that appears to starkly contravene the democratic ideals and principles of transparency and accountability upon which our organization stands. This decision, made in disregard of the convention resolutions "Serving Marginalized Communities Through Medical Mission" passed in October 2019 and "Inclusion of a National Response for Serving Marginalized Communities Through Medical Missions" passed in October 2020, is deeply troubling to us the committed members of NYSNA.

These resolutions were meticulously crafted to ensure NYSNA's firm support for NYRN. They explicitly state, "NYSNA will continue its efforts to increase the number of nurses participating in medical missions through New York Recovery Networks (NYRN)..." and further emphasize the need to "expand its efforts to support the NYRN mission to provide national healthcare services to vulnerable populations." However, the recent board decision to retract full financial support for NYRN's medical missions blatantly contradicts these fundamental resolutions, which were voted upon and sanctioned by our collective membership.

We continue to firmly assert that this decision must be reversed to preserve the integrity of our organization and to uphold the trust placed in by the membership through democratic action at our Convention.

Moreover, the approval of the 2024 medical mission calendar by the NYSNA Board has already occurred. Therefore, rescinding full financial support at this juncture will result in substantial disruption to these critical missions. This action will inflict financial and professional harm upon NYSNA members who have already committed resources, such as non-refundable airfare and deposits, sought and received approved time off from work, anticipated opportunities for continuing education, among many others. Notably, this decision runs contrary to the language enshrined in multiple collective bargaining agreements, affording nurses the privilege to volunteer in these missions. Lastly, this decision will cause immense damage to the NYRN program, from which it may not be able to recover. While recognizing the board's fiduciary duty to mitigate legal liabilities and risks, it is imperative to acknowledge the resolutions passed by the voting body, which must not be disregarded.

Hence, the undersigned members have yet receive a comprehensive explanation for this decision from the NYSNA Board, inclusive of meeting minutes, approved board actions. Such transparency and accountability are paramount to ensuring that our board operates in a manner that is transparent and answerable to its membership. We fully anticipate that the board will take decisive steps to address this issue and prevent its recurrence in the future.

Furthermore, we continue to respectfully urge the board to convene an open meeting accessible to all members to thoroughly examine this matter and institute appropriate measures to restore full financial support of NYRN and other communications and actions taken during the transition. But if the board believes the correct course of action is to withdraw full financial support of NYRN, we feel that this must be brought to the Convention floor. Thus, adhering to our established resolutions and upholding the principles of accountability and transparency which are indispensable for the enduring success of our esteemed organization.