NEW YORK (AP) — Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes.
Nurses began walking off the job at 6 a.m. at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses, with additional strikes at NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.
Approximately 15,000 nurses participated in the strike, as reported by the New York State Nurses Association.
This strike comes amid a critical flu season, risking the need for patient transfers, cancellations of procedures, and diverted ambulances. The strike could also burden city hospitals not involved in the labor dispute as patients may opt to avoid the impacted facilities.
The involved hospitals are hiring temporary nurses to cover the gaps created by the strike. In their statements, hospitals assured that every effort would be made to minimize disruptions. For example, Montefiore pledged that patient appointments would continue to be honored.
The strike was organized simultaneously across multiple hospitals, though each facility is negotiating with the union independently. Notably, several other hospitals in the city and surrounding suburbs recently secured agreements to avert such action.
The nurses' demands vary by hospital, but key issues include enhancement of staffing levels and improved workplace safety. The union argues that hospitals are imposing excessive workloads.
Furthermore, nurses are calling for better safety measures due to incidents like a recent episode where a man with a weapon barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital and was subsequently killed by police.
Besides a demand for improved security, the union is also advocating for restrictions on the hospitals' use of artificial intelligence.
While the nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations claim to have been improving staffing levels, they argue that the union's requests are financially burdensome.
Nurses previously voted to authorize the strike last month. Both Governor Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed concerns regarding the potential strike and urged both parties to reach a timely resolution, emphasizing the importance of supporting nurses while ensuring hospital operations remain intact.
'Our nurses kept this city alive during its most challenging times. Their value is non-negotiable,' Mamdani remarked.
The most recent significant nursing strike in New York City occurred merely three years ago, in 2023. That strike at Mount Sinai and Montefiore lasted three days and resulted in a 19% pay rise over three years alongside others pledging to improve staffing issues, although disputes remain regarding the progress made since.
