NYC Nurses Set for Monday Strike Amid Contract Talks Collapse
Tensions have reached a boiling point as nearly 15,000 nurses at major medical centers in Manhattan and the Bronx are preparing to go on strike on Monday. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced Sunday that contract talks with hospitals – Mount Sinai, Montefiore, and NewYork-Presbyterian – had reached an impasse.
The union stated that "greedy hospital executives" have prioritized profits over safe patient care, forcing nurses to take the drastic measure of a strike. NYSNA President Nancy Hagans condemned the hospitals' refusal to negotiate on salaries, despite the union's willingness to discuss economic proposals.
In response to the impending walkout, Mount Sinai CEO Dr. Brendan Carr expressed confidence that "a long list of items" remained for negotiation and warned of "a labor disruption continuing to appear." NewYork-Presbyterian spokesperson Angela Karafazli stated that non-economic proposals had been exchanged during recent negotiating sessions but acknowledged that NYSNA refused to respond to the hospital's latest economic offers.
The city is taking steps to mitigate the impact on patients. Mayor Zohran Mamdani emphasized his administration's priority on ensuring New Yorkers have access to quality healthcare, particularly during flu season. He urged both sides to remain at the negotiating table to reach a deal that would honor nurses and keep hospitals open.
Representatives of the hospitals have denied attempting to cut health benefits or roll back staffing protections, citing the introduction of security measures to safeguard staff and patients from violent incidents. However, the Nurses Association disputes these claims, insisting that hospital executives are trying to reduce wages and limit staffing.
A joint statement from Mount Sinai, Montefiore, and NewYork-Presbyterian acknowledged that a strike would pose challenges but pledged to "do whatever is necessary" to minimize disruptions to patient care. To prepare for the walkout, Mount Sinai has hired over 1,400 outside nurses, while NewYork-Presbyterian is rescheduling appointments and operations as needed.
The strike will affect hospitals operated by these three major medical centers, with nurses planning to hold rallies at multiple locations starting Monday morning. NYSNA has filed unfair labor practice charges against Mount Sinai for making union nurses train their replacements.
Governor Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency in counties where the strike is expected, allowing out-of-state healthcare professionals to provide care. As New Yorkers prepare for the potential disruption, they can expect hospitals and emergency departments to remain operational, albeit with adjusted services.
Tensions have reached a boiling point as nearly 15,000 nurses at major medical centers in Manhattan and the Bronx are preparing to go on strike on Monday. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced Sunday that contract talks with hospitals – Mount Sinai, Montefiore, and NewYork-Presbyterian – had reached an impasse.
The union stated that "greedy hospital executives" have prioritized profits over safe patient care, forcing nurses to take the drastic measure of a strike. NYSNA President Nancy Hagans condemned the hospitals' refusal to negotiate on salaries, despite the union's willingness to discuss economic proposals.
In response to the impending walkout, Mount Sinai CEO Dr. Brendan Carr expressed confidence that "a long list of items" remained for negotiation and warned of "a labor disruption continuing to appear." NewYork-Presbyterian spokesperson Angela Karafazli stated that non-economic proposals had been exchanged during recent negotiating sessions but acknowledged that NYSNA refused to respond to the hospital's latest economic offers.
The city is taking steps to mitigate the impact on patients. Mayor Zohran Mamdani emphasized his administration's priority on ensuring New Yorkers have access to quality healthcare, particularly during flu season. He urged both sides to remain at the negotiating table to reach a deal that would honor nurses and keep hospitals open.
Representatives of the hospitals have denied attempting to cut health benefits or roll back staffing protections, citing the introduction of security measures to safeguard staff and patients from violent incidents. However, the Nurses Association disputes these claims, insisting that hospital executives are trying to reduce wages and limit staffing.
A joint statement from Mount Sinai, Montefiore, and NewYork-Presbyterian acknowledged that a strike would pose challenges but pledged to "do whatever is necessary" to minimize disruptions to patient care. To prepare for the walkout, Mount Sinai has hired over 1,400 outside nurses, while NewYork-Presbyterian is rescheduling appointments and operations as needed.
The strike will affect hospitals operated by these three major medical centers, with nurses planning to hold rallies at multiple locations starting Monday morning. NYSNA has filed unfair labor practice charges against Mount Sinai for making union nurses train their replacements.
Governor Kathy Hochul declared a disaster emergency in counties where the strike is expected, allowing out-of-state healthcare professionals to provide care. As New Yorkers prepare for the potential disruption, they can expect hospitals and emergency departments to remain operational, albeit with adjusted services.
nurses are literally the backbone of our healthcare system and it's heartbreaking to hear them being treated like this by greedy hospital execs 
their salaries should be on par with other medical professionals who work just as hard but get paid way less 
and staffing protections are a must for patient safety 
what's next? hospitals will try to cut corners on everything?! 
need to support our nurses and keep them safe 
just heard about this NYC nurse strike 
and i gotta say, its super concerning 
nurses are already under a lot of stress & burnout so adding another challenge like this is not good 
I feel bad for these nurses, ya know? They're just tryin' to do their job and make a livin', but hospitals are all about profits, I guess 
. The fact that they can't even discuss salaries without the hospital execs gettin' huffy is wild 
. And now, the city's stepin' in to help, which is awesome 
. But, at the end of the day, nurses are on the frontlines, savin' lives and whatnot 
. Let's hope they can get a deal done and keep the hospitals runnin' smoothly 
.
. Like, nope, not on our watch, fam 
! The nurses know what they're talkin' about when it comes to patient care, so let's trust 'em 
... I mean, come on, 15,000 nurses walking out? That's crazy talk! But at the same time, hospital executives have been acting like total jerks and refusing to budge on salaries and benefits... 
. And what about the outside nurses Mount Sinai hired? Are they going to be better off than the regular staff? 
. What's next? Will we see other essential workers walking out on the job too? 
. They could be having an open and honest conversation with the union instead of trying to portray themselves as the victims here 
.
. We need better working conditions and support, not just empty promises from hospital administrators 
.
Like, what's next? Cutting corners on patient care? 
We need our nurses to be able to do their jobs without fear of being replaced or undervalued 
it's no wonder there are protests planned for Monday at major medical centers in Manhattan & the Bronx 
seriously though, 15k nurses can't be expected to keep putting their lives on the line without some decent compensation. hospitals are acting all innocent about it too 
. it feels like we're stuck in this cycle of "solve now, worry later" instead of taking a step back and thinking about the long-term consequences. and don't even get me started on the emergency declaration... more red tape and bureaucracy 
. can't we just have a simple conversation about healthcare? 
hopefully both sides can come together and negotiate a deal that works for everyone 
but it's hard to see how that's gonna happen given their track record 
hospitals got greedy, nurses gotta take a stand 
.
. But until then, it'll just be business as usual... or so they hope 
.