New York City’s longest and largest nurses strike may soon be ending as union members vote on tentative contract deals that could bring thousands of nurses back on the job within days.
The New York State Nurses Association says nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian reached a late-night agreement with hospital officials on Tuesday. Members are now voting on the proposal, which aims to deliver similar priorities across all hospitals involved in the strike.
Earlier in the week, tentative deals were also reached with Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, Mount Sinai West and Montefiore Einstein. Nurses at the Mount Sinai facilities approved their contracts Wednesday night.
Union leaders say the proposed agreements include enforceable staffing standards, plans to hire more nurses to improve patient care, and wage increases totaling 12 percent over three years.
Still, not everyone supports the deal. Jennifer Lynch, a nurse practitioner at NewYork-Presbyterian and a member of the executive committee, said she voted against it because she believes it does not address the main concerns. She also said some committee members were caught off guard when the union moved ahead with the proposal, noting that contract terms vary from hospital to hospital.
With voting now underway, the outcome is in the hands of the membership. Ballots are set to close at 5 p.m., and results are expected later that evening.
In a letter to the community, Mount Sinai CEO Brendan Carr acknowledged the strain caused by the strike and said the organization is committed to moving forward together while continuing to focus on patient care.
Montefiore officials had not released a statement, and CBS News New York said it was still waiting for a response from NewYork-Presbyterian.
The strike began Jan. 12, when nearly 15,000 nurses walked off the job over concerns about chronic understaffing and inadequate workplace protections. Since then, the union has been negotiating with three major hospital systems over pay, benefits and staffing levels.
Hospitals brought in travel nurses from across the country to keep services running. While administrators said patient care continued, many facilities delayed surgeries, transferred patients and discharged others during the strike.
Despite the difficulties, some nurses say they remain united and committed to pushing for safer staffing and improved care. If the contracts are ratified, most striking nurses are expected to return to work by Saturday.
