Topline
A group of more than 7,000 nurses from two private hospitals in New York City ended their strike and agreed to return to work on Thursday after agreeing to a preliminary deal with their employers, ending a three-day protest that was triggered by disputes over wages, working conditions and staffing policies in the midst of a so-called “tripledemic” of respiratory diseases that have led to a surge in hospitalizations across the city.
Nurses at two of New York City’s biggest hospitals are on the third day of their strike over … [+]
Key Facts
In a statement, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) said nurses at both the Mount Sinai Health System hospitals and Montefiore Health System hospitals will return to work at 7 a.m. on Thursday morning.
The tentative deal will improve staffing ratios at Mount Sinai to ensure there are always “enough nurses at the bedside to provide safe patient care,” and this change will take place with immediate effect, the statement added.
Nurses at Montefiore have also negotiated better staffing levels in the hospital emergency department, with the hospital agreeing to financial penalties if they fail to comply with the agreement, the union said.
The statement also noted that another strike by a group of nurses at Brooklyn’s Wyckoff Hospital was averted after the hospital also agreed to a tentative deal.
In a statement, Montefiore Medical Center noted that all “surgeries and procedures and outpatient appointments” for Thursday and beyond will proceed as scheduled.
Crucial Quote
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans hailed the tentative deal: “This is a historic victory for New York City nurses and for nurses across the country…Today, we can return to work with our heads held high, knowing that our victory means safer care for our patients and more sustainable jobs for our profession.”
Key Background
The strike began on Monday morning after collective-bargaining discussions between the two hospital systems and their nurses fell through over the weekend. Both the union and the hospitals had sought New York Governor Kathy Hochul to arbitrate future contract negotiations. The nurses union cited improved staffing ratios, higher wages, better healthcare coverage, and retirement packages as its main issues. Other key New York City hospital systems, including New York-Presbyterian, Maimonides Medical Center, Richmond University Medical Center, Flushing Hospital Medical Center, BronxCare and the Brooklyn Hospital Center managed to avert a strike after reaching tentative agreements with the union. New York City has seen a surge in hospitalization over the past month as the country was hit by a “tripledemic” of three viral respiratory diseases: Covid-19, Flu and RSV.
Further Reading
New York nurses strike ends after tentative deal reached with hospitals (CNN)
New York City Nurses Go On Strike After Failed Contract Negotiations (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2023/01/12/new-york-city-nurses-end-strike-after-preliminary-deal-with-hospitals/