Nurses Strike Ends at Two New York City Hospitals

Three days after going on strike, more than 7,000 nurses at two New York City hospitals will return to work after reaching tentative contract deals early Thursday that would increase their pay and improve their working conditions, union leaders said.

The nurses reached agreements with the two hospitals — Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx — to improve patient-to-staffing ratios, the New York State Nurses Association, which represents more than 42,000 members, said in a statement on Thursday. For nurses at Montefiore, the tentative deal would include a 19.1 percent wage increase, the creation of more than 170 new nursing positions and health care coverage for eligible nurses.

“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,” said Nancy Hagans, the president of the union, in the statement. “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.”

Mount Sinai and Montefiore said in separate statements that they welcomed the agreements with the union. “It is fair and responsible, and it puts patients first,” said Mount Sinai.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/12/nyregion/nurses-strike-ends-nyc.html