The strike hit Mount Sinai Hospital, its satellite campuses, NewYork-Presbyterian, and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, with picket lines forming outside. About 15,000 nurses are participating, according to the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).
The union said, “After months of bargaining, management refused to make meaningful progress on core issues that nurses have been fighting for: safe staffing for patients, healthcare benefits for nurses, and workplace violence protections. Management at the richest hospitals in New York City are threatening to discontinue or radically cut nurses‘ health benefits.”
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This strike comes amid a severe flu season and could force hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures, or divert ambulances. Other city hospitals may also face pressure as patients avoid the affected centers.
Hospitals are hiring temporary staff to reduce disruption. Montefiore assured patients that appointments would be honored, while New York-Presbyterian said it is taking steps to maintain patient care.
Montefiore criticized the union‘s demands, calling them “$3,6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job.”
The nurses‘ main demands include safer staffing, workplace security, limits on AI use, and protection from violence. They cite recent dangerous incidents, including a man barricading himself in a Brooklyn hospital room.
Government officials expressed concern. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said, “Our nurses kept this city alive through its hardest moments. Their value is not negotiable.” State Attorney General Letitia James added, “Nurses put their lives on the line every day to keep New Yorkers healthy. They should never be forced to choose between their own safety, their patients‘ well-being, and a fair contract.”
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The last major strike in 2023 lasted three days and led to a 19% pay increase and staffing promises. Today, both the union and hospitals disagree over whether staffing improvements have been properly implemented.
Nurses are highlighting serious safety and workload problems. Hospitals face a difficult balance between staffing costs and patient care. The strike shows the growing tension in healthcare between employee rights and operational demands.
