New York Nurses Strike Ends After 6 Weeks With New Contract

The New York nurses strike has ended after 6 weeks. This was the largest nursing strike in the city's history, involving 15,000 nurses.
By Newsroom | Labor, Healthcare |

A prolonged nursing strike, impacting major New York City hospitals, has concluded. After six weeks of walkouts, nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian hospital system have voted to ratify a new contract, bringing an end to the largest nursing strike in the city's history. This agreement follows earlier tentative deals and ratifications by nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai hospital systems.

The strike, which began on January 12th, involved approximately 15,000 nurses across the three hospital systems. Nurses had expressed concerns regarding unmanageable workloads and patient-to-nurse ratios, while hospital executives noted the employment of thousands of temporary nurses and patient transfers during the work stoppage.

New York Nurses’ Strike Ends After 6 Weeks as Last Holdouts Approve Deal - 1

Timeline of Events

  • January 12th: Nurses at Montefiore, Mount Sinai, and NewYork-Presbyterian hospital systems walked off the job, initiating a strike.

  • February 2nd: Approximately 10,500 nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai ratified new three-year contracts.

  • Early Friday (date not specified, but after Feb 2nd): A tentative agreement was reached between NewYork-Presbyterian and the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).

  • Friday and Saturday (date not specified, but after Feb 2nd): Union members voted on and ratified the tentative agreement with NewYork-Presbyterian.

Key Issues in Negotiations

The core of the dispute revolved around staffing levels and working conditions.

  • Nurses' Position:

  • Cited unmanageable workloads and the need for improved nurse-to-patient ratios.

  • Highlighted that hospital executives earn millions annually, contrasting with their own working conditions.

  • Stressed that these improvements were essential for both worker well-being and patient care.

  • Hospital System Response:

  • Employed thousands of temporary nurses during the strike.

  • Transferred some patients and canceled certain procedures.

Contract Agreement Details

The agreements reached with the hospital systems aim to address the nurses' primary concerns.

New York Nurses’ Strike Ends After 6 Weeks as Last Holdouts Approve Deal - 2

  • NewYork-Presbyterian Agreement:

  • Commitments were made to hire more nurses, particularly for understaffed units such as the emergency department and the cath lab.

  • Improvements to enforceable staffing standards were secured.

  • The contract addresses raises, nurse-to-patient ratios, and protections from workplace violence.

  • Health benefits were maintained without additional out-of-pocket costs for nurses.

  • The agreement marks the end of a strike that lasted 39 days.

  • Montefiore and Mount Sinai Agreements:

  • Ratified three-year contracts.

  • Specific details beyond the contract length are not extensively detailed in the provided summaries, but these were also part of the broader dispute over staffing and working conditions.

Strike Impact and Observations

The strike had a notable impact on hospital operations and drew public attention.

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  • Hospital Operations:

  • Thousands of temporary nurses were brought in to maintain patient care.

  • Some patients were transferred to other facilities.

  • Certain procedures were canceled or postponed.

  • Nurses' Sacrifice:

  • Nurses on strike reportedly sacrificed their own pay and healthcare coverage to support the cause.

  • The phrase "showed this city that they won’t make any compromises to patient care" was used by NYSNA president Nancy Hagans, underscoring the nurses' commitment to patient well-being during the negotiations.

Union and Management Statements

Leaders from both the union and hospital systems have commented on the resolutions.

New York Nurses’ Strike Ends After 6 Weeks as Last Holdouts Approve Deal - 3

"Nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian showed this city that they won’t make any compromises to patient care. They stood in the cold, snow, ice and wind, along with their union siblings, fighting back management’s attempts to cut corners on care and secured contracts that improve enforceable safe staffing ratios, improve protections from workplace violence, and maintain health benefits with no additional out-of-pocket costs for frontline nurses."— NYSNA president Nancy Hagans

The New York State Nurses Association and NewYork-Presbyterian both confirmed their negotiators reached a tentative deal. While Montefiore and Mount Sinai nurses ratified their contracts earlier, the NewYork-Presbyterian agreement was the final step to end the citywide strike.

Analysis of Key Provisions

The contract terms, particularly those concerning staffing, appear to be central to the resolution. The commitment to hiring more nurses in critical areas and improving enforceable staffing standards suggests a direct response to the nurses' core arguments about workload and patient safety. The duration of the strike, being the longest of its kind in New York City history at 39 days for NewYork-Presbyterian, indicates a significant divergence in priorities that ultimately required extensive negotiation.

Conclusion and Next Steps

The six-week nursing strike in New York City has officially ended with the ratification of a new contract by NewYork-Presbyterian nurses. This resolves the labor dispute that had impacted Montefiore and Mount Sinai hospital systems as well. The new agreements are expected to lead to improved staffing levels and working conditions, addressing key concerns raised by the New York State Nurses Association. The focus now shifts to the implementation of these contract provisions and the return of nurses to their full duties, aiming to restore normal hospital operations and maintain the quality of patient care.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why did New York nurses go on strike for six weeks?
Nurses went on strike for six weeks because they were concerned about unmanageable workloads and not having enough nurses for the number of patients. They wanted better nurse-to-patient ratios and safer working conditions.
Q: Which New York hospitals were affected by the nurses' strike?
The strike affected nurses at three major hospital systems in New York City: NewYork-Presbyterian, Montefiore, and Mount Sinai. It was the largest nursing strike in the city's history.
Q: When did the New York nurses' strike begin and end?
The strike began on January 12th and ended after six weeks when nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian ratified their new contract. This followed earlier agreements at Montefiore and Mount Sinai.
Q: What are the main points of the new contract for New York nurses?
The new contract includes promises to hire more nurses, especially in busy areas like the emergency room. It also improves rules for staffing levels, offers better protection from workplace violence, and keeps health benefits the same with no extra costs for nurses.
Q: How many nurses were involved in the New York strike?
Approximately 15,000 nurses across the three hospital systems participated in the strike. The strike lasted for 39 days for NewYork-Presbyterian nurses.