The nurses' strike at several major hospitals in New York City has reached its 12th day, as union representatives and hospital systems continue negotiations. Nurses from Montefiore, Mount Sinai, and NewYork-Presbyterian are involved in what is currently the city’s largest nursing labor dispute in recent years. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), representing approximately 15,000 nurses, states that the hospital systems are seeking reductions in healthcare benefits, which could affect a broader group of healthcare workers across the state.
A Montefiore spokesperson noted ongoing negotiations, saying, “We are back at the bargaining table today, just as we were all day yesterday. We have made some progress but there is still distance to go.” Meanwhile, the NYSNA continues to maintain certain non-negotiable positions. The union is open to discussing wages but opposes any reductions that could affect patient or nurse safety. ABC7NY reported that the union stated, “As nurses have said from the beginning, and as we’ve shown at the bargaining table, we are willing to negotiate on wages, but we are not willing to cut corners on patient and nurse safety.”
The ongoing stalemate has placed financial pressure on striking nurses, many of whom have missed a paycheck. After negotiations stalled late last week, no further meeting schedule was announced, prompting involvement from New York officials. Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders have attended union-led rallies in support of the nurses, according to NY1. The nurses’ demands center on maintaining healthcare benefits and addressing issues such as staffing levels and workplace safety.
Hospital officials contend that the union’s demands for pay increases are not feasible and assert that they have not proposed any reductions to the healthcare benefits currently provided to nurses. Amid these differing positions, the strike continues, with New York City hospitals relying on temporary staff to maintain operations. Last week, negotiations shifted to a bilateral format, with individual sessions held for each hospital system, separate from other private or city-run hospitals that have already reached agreements with NYSNA.
