New York City Nurses End Three-Day Strike After Securing Historic Agreements on Staffing and Wages

Nurses Return to Work Following Landmark Deals

Thousands of nurses in New York City, represented by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), concluded a three-day strike in January 2023, returning to their posts at Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. The walkout, which began on Monday, January 9, 2023, and ended on Thursday, January 12, 2023, saw over 7,000 nurses picket outside the two major hospital systems after contract negotiations stalled.

The primary catalyst for the strike was the nurses' demand for improved patient care through safe staffing ratios, alongside calls for better wages, healthcare benefits, and protections against workplace violence.

Key Demands Met in Tentative Agreements

The tentative agreements reached with both Mount Sinai and Montefiore were hailed as a 'historic victory' by NYSNA. Key provisions of the new contracts include:

• A 19% wage increase over three years.
• Enforceable safe staffing ratios, a central demand from the nurses, with provisions for financial penalties if hospitals fail to comply.
• At Montefiore, the agreement also included the creation of more than 170 new nursing positions, as well as commitments to community health improvements and nurse-student partnerships.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, stated, 'This is a historic victory for New York City nurses and for nurses across the country.' She added, '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.'

Impact on Hospital Operations and Patient Care

During the three-day strike, both Mount Sinai and Montefiore implemented contingency plans to manage patient care. This involved postponing non-emergency surgeries, diverting ambulances to other medical facilities, and bringing in temporary nursing staff. Hospital officials had expressed concerns about the impact on services, particularly during a severe flu season.

The resolution of the strike allowed nurses to return to their patients, with Governor Kathy Hochul acknowledging the nurses would 'receive a well-deserved 19% pay increase here. Also better benefits, higher wages for those with higher education, and again, a working environment that allows them to focus on patient care.' The agreements are expected to set new standards for nursing contracts across the city and potentially nationwide.