NEW YORK – New York's largest union and professional association for registered nurses the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) along with the Doctors Council SEIU endorsed Aravella Simotas in her campaign for re-election in Assembly District 36 in northwest Queens.

NYSNA is a union of 42,000 frontline nurses standing together for strength at work, safe staffing, and healthcare for all New Yorkers. The Doctors Council SEIU represents physicians and dentists, including doctors who work in the NYC Health + Hospitals system, agencies such as the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, school health, and correctional facilities such as Rikers Island.

"Doctors Council SEIU is proud to endorse Aravella Simotas for Assembly District 36. As a union of frontline doctors we believe Aravella has shown herself to be a strong advocate for working families and union members. All of us in New York City have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, and especially so in Queens. Aravella will continue to lead in the fight to expand access to quality health care and the resources needed to fight the coronavirus as well as aid in the recovery from it,” said Dr. Frank Proscia, MD, President, Doctors Council SEIU.

“NYSNA is excited to endorse Aravella Simotas for re-election in Assembly District 36,” said NYSNA President Judy Sheridan-Gonazalez, RN. “Her staunch support of workers— especially her advocacy for frontline and essential workers in the COVID-19 crisis to receive crisis pay and workers’ compensation— mean so much to nurses. We know [Aravella] will continue to fight for our rights and for a more just healthcare system in Albany.”

“Our frontline nurses and doctors sacrifice their lives every day to ensure New Yorkers are cared for during this crisis—it is our duty to protect them. I will continue the fight to ensure our healthcare workers receive proper PPE, compensation and access to the benefits they deserve,” said Assembly Member Simotas.

Assembly Member Simotas has been a leader for public safety during this crisis. She is advocating for hazard pay for all essential workers and pushing for legislation to ensure nurses and doctors who are exposed to novel coronavirus on the job can receive workers’ compensation. Simotas is also fighting to pass her bill to establish an ultra-millionaires income tax to raise critically needed revenue to prevent cuts to public services.

Simotas has also been endorsed by the New York League of Conservation Voters, Vote Mama, CWA, Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, 32BJ SEIU, LIUNA NY, 1199SEIU, Teamsters Local 831, Stonewall Democrats of NYC, UFCW Local 1500, NASW NYC-PACE, Planned Parenthood Empire State Votes Pac, Eleanor’s Legacy, National Institute for Reproductive Health, New York State AFL-CIO, Alliance of South Asian American Labor, UFT, NYSUT, PSC-CUNY. The primary will be held on June 23.

More information is available online: www.aravella.com.