After over two weeks of striking, an accord has been reached between New York City nurses and hospitals to preserve healthcare benefits. The New York State Nurses Association made headway with Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and West, and NewYork-Presbyterian, according to a statement obtained by CBS News. "NYSNA nurses fought and cleared a major hurdle on one of the key sticking points in bargaining -- maintaining health benefits for frontline nurses and our families," NYSNA said, noting the current NYSNA Plan A health coverage would remain intact without cuts.
This development is part of broader negotiations aimed to hopefully conclude the nurses' ongoing strike. The striking nurses, who number about 15,000, are also seeking to improve pay, increase staffing levels, and bolster protections against workplace violence. Despite the weather-related suspension of picket lines due to a hefty winter storm, nurses were set to resume efforts Tuesday as no final contract arrangement was yet in place. "We made incremental progress and reached one tentative agreement," a NewYork-Presbyterian statement said. "We are scheduled to bargain again tomorrow," as they continue to exchange proposals, as per ABC7 New York.
While keeping healthcare benefits on the table has been a contentious issue, Montefiore Hospital has maintained that healthcare benefits were never a bargaining chip for them. This was echoed by a Montefiore representative in a statement covered by ABC7 New York, indicating a divergence in hospital positions.
The hospitals have previously labeled the nurses' demands as unreasonable, a tension that underlines the ongoing discussions. However, the agreement on health benefits represents a critical juncture in these negotiations. "NYSNA nurses at all four hospitals are ready and willing to bargain in good faith on other priority issues to settle fair contracts whenever mediators call us back to the table," the union stated, signaling their readiness to actively engage towards a resolution. Further talks are expected, with both sides seeking to strike a balance that upholds patient and nurse safety, as reported by CBS News.
