Additional Coverage:
- Striking NYC nurses say tentative deals reached (abcnews.go.com)
NYC Nurses’ Strike Nears Resolution for Thousands, One Hospital Still Negotiating
New York City’s largest nursing strike in history appears to be winding down for many, as thousands of nurses have reached tentative agreements with several major hospitals, according to their union.
The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced Monday morning that approximately 10,500 of its members have secured agreements with Montefiore, Mount Sinai Hospital, and Mount Sinai Morningside and West. These nurses are expected to hold ratification votes, and if approved, will return to work by the end of the week.
The strike, which began on January 12, saw nurses advocating for fair wages, improved compensation, safe staffing levels, and enhanced workplace safety. The union previously stated that hospitals had threatened to cut healthcare benefits and roll back safe staffing standards previously won by nurses.
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans emphasized the nurses’ dedication, stating, “For four weeks, nearly 15,000 NYSNA members held the line in the cold and in the snow for safe patient care. Now, nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai systems are heading back to the bedside with our heads held high after winning fair tentative contracts that maintain enforceable safe staffing ratios, improve protections from workplace violence, and maintain health benefits with no additional out-of-pocket costs for frontline nurses.”
The tentative agreements include crucial provisions such as increasing the number of nurses to enhance patient care, protecting health benefits, safeguarding nurses from workplace violence, and a salary increase of over 12% across the three-year contract.
“I’m so proud of the resilience and strength of NYSNA nurses,” remarked Pat Keane, NYSNA executive director. “They have shown that when we fight, we win.
Nurses sacrificed their own pay and healthcare while on strike to defend patient care for all of New York. We helped galvanize a movement for worker and healthcare justice that reached beyond New York City.”
The striking nurses received support from several New York politicians, including State Attorney General Letitia James and City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who called their fight a battle for dignity, fairness, and the future of the city’s healthcare system.
However, the strike isn’t entirely over. Approximately 4,200 nurses are still on strike at NewYork-Presbyterian, as an agreement has yet to be reached with the institution.
NewYork-Presbyterian issued a statement Monday, confirming ongoing negotiations. “Early Sunday the mediators presented a comprehensive proposal to all parties.
NewYork-Presbyterian accepted the proposal which includes the same wage increases for all three hospitals, as well as preserves the pension, maintains our nurses’ health benefits, and includes increased staffing levels,” the statement read. “We look forward to bringing our nurses back to care for our patients.”
A spokesperson for NYSNA declined to comment on the proximity of an agreement with NewYork-Presbyterian.
Read More About This Story:
- Striking NYC nurses say tentative deals reached (abcnews.go.com)