Key Takeaways

• Over 15,000 nurses walked off the job yesterday, marking the largest nurse strike in New York City history.
• These nurses work for the city’s three biggest hospital groups: Mount Sinai, New York Presbyterian, and Montefiore.
• The nurses aren’t mostly seeking new benefits; they’re fighting to keep safety rules passed in a major strike after the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Disputes center on patient safety numbers (staff levels), health insurance for workers, pay, and feeling unsafe at work.
• One key rule protecting nurse staffing levels is now threatened in the new contract talks.
• Hospitals are bringing in expensive outside nurses during the strike, a move the regular nurses feel isn’t safe.
• The strike raises questions about patient safety, especially during flu season.
• This strike affects not just these hospitals but also nurses at public city hospitals.

Why the Strike Matters More Than New Benefits

Most nurses involved in this massive job action aren’t asking for something entirely new. They are fighting hard for improvements, but their primary goal is to secure the safety measures they won during a previous strike.

That earlier fight happened after the terrible COVID-19 pandemic, which gave nurses unprecedented stress and danger. Following that, their union successfully negotiated stronger rules for patient safety and better employee benefits. It was a hard-fought victory.

But almost three years later, the contract that codified these protections expired on December 31st. Management wants a new deal, but they are crossing a line by trying to erase the safety guarantees from the old one.

The Frontline: Picket Lines and Personal Stories

Imagine waking up before dawn, heading to a busy intersection, and joining thousands of people holding signs. This is what nurses did yesterday outside Mount Sinai hospital on Madison Avenue.

The scene was big and noisy. Nurses in red union t-shirts chanted slogans demanding “a better contract.” A band played music, and passing cars honked their horns in support. It was a visible show of strength.

They weren’t just marching; they were standing vigil. Picketers got coffee and pizza to stay energized throughout the long day, a reminder of the demanding jobs they usually do.

Nurse Olethea Campbell, who has spent 29 years at the same hospital, shared a powerful reason for striking. She survived a serious brain aneurysm in 2023 at Mount Sinai. All her doctors – neurosurgeons and specialists – are at that very hospital. Losing the specific health insurance plan that covers her and her chosen doctors is a personal threat.

Another nurse, Maggie, was hired specifically through the staffing improvements won in the 2023 strike. She worries that management is cutting essential support, including safety benefits. “We’ve had too many instances where the nurses are not being treated safely,” she explained. This includes concerns about injuries at work not being covered and, worryingly, safety on the hospital floor itself.

Management’s Response: Outside Help and Expired Deals

Mount Sinai, New York Presbyterian, and Montefiore executives are resisting many of the nurses’ demands. Instead of strengthening the contract, they appear to be pushing to scale back the previous agreements.

There’s another big problem: insurance. The key health plan (Anthem) that most nurses used has also expired. Details vary, but this often means higher co-pays or being forced to find new doctors outside their established care network. This forces workers to choose their health and their job benefits based on the same expired plan.

Management’s other strategy is hiring lots of nurses from outside New York City. They’re reportedly paying up to $10,000 a week for these traveling nurses. A Mount Sinai nurse named Minna Scott called this dangerous. “Those nurses are not properly trained to our unit, and they don’t know our hospital,” she voiced. These nurses rely on the regular staff to train them while they’re busy dealing with patients, which Scott says creates risks for both patients and the traveling nurses.

A Ripple Effect and A Larger Picture

Nurses aren’t stopping at these three hospital groups. The New York State Nurse Association (NYSNA) represents about 6,000 other nurses at city public hospitals. Any contract reached (or avoided) at the big private hospitals sets a standard and a precedent for all.

One affecting factor is funding. Some city public hospitals might have less money, making them extra sensitive to salary offers, even as private hospitals bring in travel nurses.

Healthcare workers sometimes say, “When the nurses are outside, something’s going on inside.” This strike clearly signals that something is happening inside the city’s hospitals. The expiry of critical contract language is being viewed by many nurses as dangerous. They fear a return to stretched staffing levels, increasing the risk of errors and exhaustion.

Nurse Nadine, who has been working at Mount Sinai for 16 years, emphasized the core demand using a simple yet powerful graphic pointing to specific points (credit Sue Brisk, but paraphrased).

What’s Next?

Thousands of nurses are sitting out their shifts, united by a common cause: protecting the gains they fought for. They are committed to holding management accountable.

The next few weeks will be crucial. They’ll be caring for patients during a potentially busy flu season while relying on potentially unfamiliar temporary staff. Patients using these hospitals will likely see the effects of this labor dispute.

This isn’t just a fight for one hospital system; it’s a significant moment for nurses citywide and a stark reminder of the pressures healthcare workers face daily. Their stand is demanding respect for their expertise and the safety of the care they provide.

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