The New York State Nurses Association, which represents 20,000 members, has voted to leave the American Nurses Association, according to a news release.

About 91% of members voted to leave the ANA on Thursday at the NYSNA Biennial Conference in Mashantucket, Conn. The NYSNA board affirmed the vote on Friday.

The ANA in December suspended the NYSNA's membership for a year. The ANA claimed that National Nurses United, the ANA's rival, was manipulating NYSNA through the NNU-affiliated Massachusetts Nurses Association by installing MNA's executive director as NYSNA head (PDF). Julie Pinkham serves as interim executive director of NYSNA.

“The charges contend that because MNA is a rival union and is affiliated with a rival national organization known as the National Nurses Union (NNU), the placement of its executive director into a position with full access to all NYNSA records jeopardizes the integrity of NYSNA as a labor union,” the ANA’s hearing statement read.

NYSNA countered that the ANA is too controlling and restrictive. NNU formed in 2009 when union members, including those from the California Nurses Association and Massachusetts Nurses Association, left the ANA.

ANA leaders released a statement Friday night saying they were disappointed but not surprised. They said they haven’t heard official word from NYSNA about disaffiliation.

“Despite protests to the contrary, it’s been apparent that this was the NYSNA board’s goal since last fall when they appointed a leader of National Nurses United to run the organization,” ANA President Karen Daley said in the e-mailed statement. “It is unfortunate that NYSNA did not give all members a voice in breaking a 100-plus year affiliation prior to taking this action. We regret the impact this may have on NYSNA members who value their ANA affiliation and benefits.”

The NYSNA said members will have the chance within six months to vote on re-affiliating with the ANA.