NY Nurses End Strike After Monthlong Walkout

NewYork-Presbyterian nurses have voted to ratify a proposed contract, ending a monthlong walkout. The roughly 4,200 nurses had picketed since January 12th in what was described as the city's largest nurse strike. This tentative agreement, if ratified, will see nurses return to work next week.

The union highlighted that the wins secured will improve patient care and demonstrated the power of nurses. The hospital system expressed pleasure with the tentative settlement, respecting their nurses' efforts. This follows similar new three-year contracts ratified by approximately 10,500 Montefiore and Mount Sinai nurses on February 11th.

Those earlier deals included pay raises exceeding 12% over three years, staffing increases, protections for artificial intelligence, and no changes to health benefits. While NewYork-Presbyterian nurses had initially rejected a mediator's proposal, the new tentative agreement is expected to preserve health benefits and include workplace safety measures.

The strike, which occurred during a demanding flu season, prompted hospitals to hire temporary nurses, raising concerns for vulnerable patients. Negotiations were contentious, with hospitals citing unreasonable union demands and nurses pointing to millions earned by top executives amidst unmanageable workloads. An arbitrator recently awarded nearly $400,000 to some nurses for working short-staffed in 2023 and 2024.