Potential Historic Strike Looms as 20,000 NYC Nurses Prepare to Walk Out january 12
A potential strike by as many as 20,000 nurses at 12 New York City hospitals is looming, threatening to mark the largest work stoppage in the city’s history. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) delivered 10-day strike notices on January 2, following the expiration of existing union contracts on December 31 and a December 22 vote authorizing the strike.
“Management is refusing to guarantee our healthcare benefits and trying to roll back the safe staffing standards we fought for and won,” NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, BSN, RN, stated in a union news release. “We have been bargaining for months, but hospitals have not done nearly enough to settle fair contracts that protect patient care. Striking is always a last resort; however, nurses will not stop until we win contracts that deliver patient and nurse safety. The future of care in this city is far too important to compromise on our values as nurses.”
The hospitals that received strike notices are:
- The Brooklyn Hospital Center
- Flushing Hospital Medical Center
- Interfaith Medical Center / One Brooklyn Health
- Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center / One Brooklyn Health
- Maimonides Medical Center
- Montefiore Medical Center
- Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West
- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia university Medical Center
- Richmond University Medical Center
- Wyckoff heights Medical Center
This isn’t the first time NYSNA members have authorized a strike in recent years. Approximately 7,000 nurses at two hospitals walked off the job in January 2023. The union, representing 42,000 members across New York, is affiliated with National Nurses United, a nationwide organization with over 225,000 members.
Hospital administrators are responding to the strike threat with contingency plans. Sandra Scott, MD, CEO of One Brooklyn Health, shared via LinkedIn on January 2 that the system is proactively preparing to maintain uninterrupted patient care, including plans for additional staffing and training. “We deeply value our nurses and the essential role they play in caring for our patients,” Dr. Scott saeid. “We are committed to reaching a fair and enduring resolution that supports our staff while ensuring continued access to the healthcare services our communities depend on.”
Individual hospitals have also issued statements outlining their positions. A spokesperson for Maimonides Medical Center indicated the system is preparing to hire contract nurses and redeploy existing staff to ensure continued high-quality care. “Our nurses are critical to our success at Maimonides,” the spokesperson said.”We remain hopeful that we can avoid a strike and negotiate a fair contract that rewards nurses for their critically important work and recognizes the increasingly difficult financial challenges that we and other hospitals face.”
Montefiore Medical Center officials stated that union demands would cost $3.6 billion over the contract’s duration. They also raised concerns about specific demands, including provisions regarding disciplinary action for substance use while on duty and objections to the implementation of panic buttons for emergency department staff.”While Montefiore will continue to bargain in good faith, we are preparing for what we anticipate could be a multi-week strike,” a spokesperson said.
Mount Sinai representatives argued that NYSNA is willing to jeopardize patient care while pursuing substantial economic demands, notably in light of anticipated federal funding cuts that could cost New York hospitals $8 billion and 35,000 jobs. NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital officials countered that they have proposed significant wage increases and benefit enhancements, but that the union is demanding nearly 30% wage increases over three years – a figure they deem unrealistic. Richmond University Medical Center affirmed its commitment to good-faith negotiations, while declining to comment on specific details of the ongoing discussions.
Becker’s Hospital Review has reached out to all 12 hospitals for further comment and will provide updates as more information becomes available. The outcome of these negotiations will have a significant impact on the future of healthcare delivery in New York City.
