strike nursing jobs nyc

Striking New York nurses at two major hospitals reach deal to return to work

Two New York City hospitals have reached a tentative contract agreement with thousands of striking nurses that ends this week’s walkout that disrupted patient care, officials announced Thursday.

The nurses, represented by the New York State Nurses Association, walked out early Monday after negotiations with management ran aground at Mount Sinai Hospital, in Manhattan, and Montefiore Medical Center, in the Bronx. Each has over 1,000 beds and 3,500 or more union nurses.

Nurses for both hospitals were to return to work Thursday morning, the union said.

The union has stressed staffing levels as a key concern, saying that nurses who labored through the grueling peak of the coronavirus pandemic are stretched far too thin because too many jobs are open. Nurses say they have had to work overtime, handle twice as many patients as they should, and skip meals and even bathroom breaks.

The agreements with both hospitals include concrete, enforceable staffing ratios, the union said. The agreement with Montefiore also included what the union described as community health improvements and nurse-student partnerships to recruit local nurses from the Bronx.

“Through our unity and by putting it all on the line, we won enforceable safe staffing ratios at both Montefiore and Mount Sinai where nurses went on strike for patient care,” NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said in a statement. “Today, we can return to work with our heads held high, knowing that our victory means safer care for our patients and more sustainable jobs for our profession.”

The privately owned, nonprofit hospitals say they have been grappling with a  widespread nursing shortage  that was exacerbated by the pandemic.

“Our bargaining team has been working around the clock with NYSNA’s leadership to come to an agreement,” Montefiore said in a statement. “From the outset, we came to the table committed to bargaining in good faith and addressing the issues that were priorities for our nursing staff.”

The hospital said it focused on ensuring the nurses had “the best possible working environment, with significant wage and benefit enhancements” through the deal with the union.

“We know this strike impacted everyone — not just our nurses — and we were committed to coming to a resolution as soon as possible to minimize disruption to patient care,” the hospital said.

Mount Sinai said in a statement it was pleased to have reached a tentative agreement and that the strike was over.

“Our proposed agreement is similar to those between NYSNA and eight other New York City hospitals. It is fair and responsible, and it puts patients first,” Mount Sinai Health System said.

Several other private hospitals around the city  reached deals with the union  as the strike deadline loomed. The agreements included raises totaling 19% over three years.

Mount Sinai and Montefiore said before the strike that they had offered the same pay boosts.

BREAKING: NYC Nurse Strike Ends as NYSNA Declares Historic Victories at Montefiore and Mount Sinai

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

Contact :  Kristi Barnes | [email protected] | 646-853-4489 Eliza M. Bates | [email protected] |646-285-8491

After 3 days on strike for safe staffing, nurses at both hospitals to return to work on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023

7k nysna rns flexed power and won enforceable safe staffing ratios in tentative deals reached in late hours of the night, strike averted at wyckoff as nurses there also reach tentative deal.

New York, NY —New York City nurses strike for safe staffing to end this morning in historic victory as tentative deals were reached with both Montefiore Bronx and Mount Sinai Hospital. Nurses won concrete enforceable safe staffing ratios in both deals and will be back on the job starting this morning.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN released the following statement:

“This is a historic victory for New York City nurses and for nurses across the country. NYSNA nurses have done the impossible, saving lives night and day, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we’ve again shown that nothing is impossible for nurse heroes. Through our unity and by putting it all on the line, we won enforceable safe staffing ratios at both Montefiore and Mount Sinai where nurses went on strike for patient care. Today, we can return to work with our heads held high, knowing that our victory means safer care for our patients and more sustainable jobs for our profession.”

Mount Sinai nurses will walk back into the hospital this morning at 7 AM after winning wall-to-wall safe staffing ratios for all inpatient units with firm enforcement so that there will always be enough nurses at the bedside to provide safe patient care, not just on paper. New staffing ratios take effect immediately in a historic breakthrough for hospitals that refused to consider ratios that nurses have been demanding for decades.

At Montefiore, nurses will also return to work this morning after winning new safe staffing ratios in the Emergency Department, with new staffing language and financial penalties for failing to comply with safe staffing levels in all units. Nurses also won community health improvements and nurse-student partnerships to recruit local Bronx nurses to stay as union nurses at Montefiore for the long run.

Both facilities have agreed to immediate return-to-work agreements so nurses will be back at the bedside with patients today.

Nurses at Wyckoff hospital also reached a tentative deal in the night and withdrew their 10-day strike notice.

The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, the country's largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses, with more than 225,000 members nationwide. For more information, visit nysna.org.

Tell Albany Med CEO Dr. McKenna: Stop hiding the truth! Put patient safety first!

Related press releases, today at 6:30 pm: hundreds of nurses to hold picket and urge albany med to deliver a fair contract to improve quality care, tomorrow at 6:30 pm: hundreds of nurses to hold picket and urge albany med to deliver a fair contract to improve quality care, albany med nurses give bargaining update, announce info picket as contract negotiations break down, site search.

‘This Is How You Treat Heroes?' 7,000 Nurses Strike at 2 of NYC's Biggest Hospitals

The hospitals have been getting ready for a walkout by transferring patients, diverting ambulances to other institutions, postponing non-emergency medical procedures and arranging to bring in temporary staffing., by nbc new york staff • published january 9, 2023 • updated on january 9, 2023 at 10:08 pm, what to know.

• About 3,500 Montefiore nurses and 3,625 Mount Sinai nurses went on strike at 6 a.m. Monday, potentially disrupting healthcare for thousands of New Yorkers as contract talks stall
• The hospitals have been getting ready for a walkout by transferring patients, diverting ambulances to other institutions, postponing non-emergency procedures and arranging to bring in temporary staffing
• Gov. Kathy Hochul urged the union and the hospitals late Sunday to take their dispute to binding arbitration, but the Democrat cannot force either side into arbitration

Nurses at two of New York City's largest hospitals went on strike Monday, potentially leading to disruptions in care around emergency room visits and childbirth, after lengthy weekend negotiations over a new contract stalled.

Frustrated nurses chanted and waved signs outside Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan demanding higher wages. The walkout involves as many as 3,500 Montefiore nurses and 3,600 from Mount Sinai.

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The New York State Nurses Association, which represents the workers, said it was being forced into the drastic step because of chronic understaffing that leaves them caring for too many patients.

Striking nurses sang the chorus from Twisted Sister’s 1984 hit “We’re Not Gonna Take It” on Monday morning outside Mount Sinai on Manhattan's Upper East Side, hours after overnight talks collapsed. Later in the day, a few bottles were thrown toward the picketers from a window of a NYCHA building across the street, Police said they were looking into the matter.

“We were heroes only two years ago,” said Warren Urquhart, a nurse in transplant and oncology units, referring to the height of the COVID-19 crisis. "We was on the front lines of the city when everything came to a stop. And now we need to come to a stop so they can understand how much we mean to this hospital and to the patients.”

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Nurse practitioner Juliet Escalon said, "We were so-called heroes — and now, this is how you treat the heroes?”

Union sources familiar with the negotiations said that nurses at Mount Sinai's main campus want what their peers at Mount Sinai West already got in their deal, which includes a more generous range of "differential" bonus pay for more experienced nurses. Sources also said they are also looking for a built-in arbitration mechanism that would settle staffing and work conditions disputes (such as alleged failure to give nurses breaks) as they come up. The latter issue is something that Montefiore nurses are discussing with hospital management, and that Mount Sinai's team is hoping to discuss on Tuesday — if the hospital and union meet.

"There are nurses who come to work and don't eat lunch while here or use the bathroom because they are spread so thin," Dzifa Dzilah.

Union officials say nurses are pushing the issue of staffing levels for patients’ sake, as well as their own. Escalon said she sometimes finds herself caring for twice as many people as standards call for and skipping bathroom breaks to attend to patients.

“What we’re really fighting here for is patient safety,” she said. “How can I pay attention to your needs when I’m being called somewhere else with the rest of the patients?”

Mount Sinai’s chief nursing officer, Fran Cartwright, has said that she empathizes with overtaxed nurses and that the hospital needs time to rebuild its ranks after the coronavirus pandemic spurred upheaval and departures in nursing and many other professions.

"We are hearing our nurses here today saying safe staffing. We had sent a proposal and when they left at 1 a.m., they hadn't sent us a counter," said Cartwright.

Elected officials, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, said Mount Sinai had already ignored staffing guidelines — which the state was supposed to keep tabs on. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders also allied with the nurses, noting that if the hospitals "could afford increase their assets by over $1 billion in 2021, they can afford to pay their nurses fair wages and treat them with dignity & respect."

I stand in solidarity with more than 7,000 @nynurses on strike at Mount Sinai Hospital & Montefiore Medical Center. If these hospitals could increase their assets by over $1 billion in 2021, they can afford to pay their nurses fair wages and treat them with dignity & respect. — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 9, 2023

In the meantime, both hospitals planned to assign managers and others not represented by the union to cover the shifts of striking workers. Temporary nurses took over on Monday, along with doctors and managers filling in.

It was not immediately clear if both sides would return to the negotiating table on Tuesday, but the hospital's lead negotiator said they hoped talks would resume then. Union representatives said they usually get invited to talks the morning of said meetings.

"When you see nurses on the outside, you'd best believe there something wrong on the inside," said NYSNA Executive Director Pat Kane.

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NICU Baby Seen Transferred from Mt. Sinai; Union Says Hospital Walked Away from Talks

Montefiore officials said in a statement Monday, “We remain committed to seamless and compassionate care, recognizing that the union leadership’s decision will spark fear and uncertainty across our community.”

According to Montefiore, NYSNA are seeking an "increase of more than 25% for each nurse over three years, well above the 19.1% they've been agreeing to in every other new agreement they just reached" at other hospitals.

"Not only do they continue to demand additional wage increases, they also continue to make demands on staffing, though they responded to our offer to hire an additional 50 nurse positions by stating they would prefer those dollars to instead be reallocated to wages," the hospital's public relations spokesperson said.

By 10 p.m., nurses had left Montefiore saying that they had made progress in negotiations, but that talks would continue at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The nurses union said they were hopeful a deal could be reached some time soon.

Montefiore and Mount Sinai had  been getting ready for a walkout  by transferring patients, diverting ambulances to other institutions, postponing nonemergency medical procedures and arranging for temporary staffing.

Gov. Kathy Hochul urged the union and the hospitals late Sunday to take their dispute to binding arbitration. Montefiore's administration had said it was willing to let an arbitrator settle the contract “as a means to reaching an equitable outcome.”

The union did not immediately accept the proposal. In a statement, it said Hochul, a Democrat, “should listen to the frontline COVID nurse heroes and respect our federally-protected labor and collective bargaining rights.”

Montefiore and Mount Sinai are the last of a group of hospitals with contracts with the union that expired simultaneously. The Nurses Association had initially warned that it would strike at all of them at the same time — a potential calamity even in a city with as many hospitals as New York.

A union negotiator told News 4 New York talks were set to resume in regards to Montefiore nurses at 2 p.m. Monday, pointing out talks would not be progressing if there was not a strike. 

But one by one, the other hospitals struck agreements  with the union as the deadline approached.

Lots of pizza signs. I asked why. Nurses tell me when they complain too much, they get a free pizza party. What they want is more nurses so the staffing levels are safe for patients. @NBCNewYork pic.twitter.com/VBbxfSvY0C — Romney Smith (@RomneySmith) January 9, 2023

Nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital ratified a deal Saturday that will give them raises of 7%, 6%, and 5% over the next three years while also increasing staffing levels. That deal, which covers 4,000 nurses, has been seen as a template for the negotiations with other hospital systems.

Nurses at two facilities in the Mount Sinai system also tentatively agreed to contracts Sunday. But negotiations continued at the system's flagship hospital on Manhattan's East Side.

Mount Sinai's administration said in a statement that the union’s focus on staffing-to-patient ratios “ignores the progress we have made to attract and hire more new nurses, despite a global shortage of healthcare workers that is impacting hospitals across the country.”

The nurses union said that it isn't fair to compare the offer given at NY-Presbyterian to those at Mount Sinai or Montefiore due to differences in salaries, noting at NY-Presbyterian nurses make more, and that staffing levels are different. The union said that there are 700 unfilled nursing positions at Montefiore and 500 at Mount Sinai; NY-Presbyterian only has about 100 unfilled slots.

A spokesperson for Mount Sinai said that those openings represent openings system-wide, and "not all at the bedside."

"Over the last three years we've hired more than 4,000 new nurses with 503 more nurses working today than in 2019 — far exceeding our 2019 hiring commitment to NYSNA," the spokesperson added.

Hospital sources told NBC New York that the union's claims of the strike being about staffing isn't entirely accurate, saying that it has really been about the money. Montefiore said

As for those who are seeking care but didn't want to interfere with the strike, the nurses union in a statement stressed that "going into the hospital to get the care you need is NOT crossing our strike line. In fact, we invite you to come join us on the strike line after you've gotten the care you need. We are out here so we can provide better patient care for your."

For now, other emergency rooms are absorbing patients, but there was no real sign of impact yet. The FDNY said that it was too soon to notice any pattern or slowdown in ambulances.

This article tagged under:

What's in the agreement that led to the end of the New York City nurses' strike

Nurses were on strike for three days before reaching a deal with two hospitals.

The New York City nurses' strike finally ended after the hospitals and the employees reached a tentative agreement early Thursday morning.

More than 7,000 nurses at Montefiore Bronx and Mount Sinai Hospital -- two of the city's largest hospitals -- walked off the job for three days as they argued for better pay, safer staffing and better working conditions.

MORE: Why thousands of New York City nurses are striking and what's at stake

The hospitals and the New York State Nurses Association, which represents the nurses, said the tentative deal meant nurses would be returning to work.

"This is a historic victory for New York City nurses and for nurses across the country," Nancy Hagans, NYSNA president, said in a statement . "Through our unity and by putting it all on the line, we won enforceable safe staffing ratios at both Montefiore and Mount Sinai where nurses went on strike for patient care."

The statement continued, "Today, we can return to work with our heads held high, knowing that our victory means safer care for our patients and more sustainable jobs for our profession."

Although the striking nurses have argued for fair compensation, one of their biggest grievances is the nurse-to-patient ratio, which measures how many patients a nurse is responsible for, at a hospital, arguing that their contract did not address these ratios.

Under the agreement at Montefiore, new safe staffing ratios will be implemented in the emergency department. This will come with new staffing language and financial penalties if safe staffing levels are not met in all units.

Also included are a 19.1% compounded wage increase, a commitment to creating 170 new nursing positions and lifetime health coverage for eligible retired nurses.

Montefiore will also develop nurse student partnerships to recruit local Bronx nurses so they can stay as union nurses at the hospital.

"We came to these bargaining sessions with great respect for our nurses and with proposals that reflect their priorities in terms of wages, benefits, safety, and staffing," Dr. Philip Ozuah, president and CEO of Montefiore Medicine, said in a statement . "We are pleased to offer a 19% wage increase, benefits that match or exceed those of our peer institutions, more than 170 new nursing positions and a generous plan to address recruitment and retention."

MORE: Uber drivers strike in New York City after pay increase temporarily blocked

Meanwhile, Mount Sinai did not reveal what was in the agreement reached between hospital administrators and nurses, saying in a short statement "our proposed agreement is similar to those between NYSNA and eight other New York City hospitals. It is fair and responsible, and it puts patients first."

Mount Sinai previously told ABC News that it had also offered a 19% compounded wage increase to nurses during negotiations.

However, the nurses said Mount Sinai agreed to safe nurse-to-patient ratios that will be firmly enforced so there will be enough nurses to care for patients, and that the ratios will take effect immediately.

Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the striking nurses outside Mount Sinai Thursday morning and commended them for reaching a deal so they could return to work.

"So these individuals [who] are angels here on Earth can get back to saving lives, and helping the most vulnerable people in our society, those who enter these doors sick," she said. "The city can take a sigh of relief, as well as continue to applaud and champion the men and women who were walking in the doors behind us this morning."

ABC News' Ahmad Hemingway and Peter Charalambous contributed to this report.

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