About 15,000 nurses on Monday embarked on a strike across three major private hospital groups in New York City, protesting pay, staffing levels and working conditions.
The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) said the action followed months of failed negotiations, describing it as the largest nurses’ strike in the city’s history. Picket lines were mounted at hospitals operated by NewYork-Presbyterian, Montefiore Bronx, and Mount Sinai.
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans accused hospital executives of prioritising profits over patient and nurse safety, saying management had refused to address core concerns.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined nurses on the picket line, urging both sides to return to negotiations and bargain in good faith, while praising nurses for their role during the 9/11 attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hospitals involved activated emergency plans, transferring or discharging some patients, cancelling elective surgeries and deploying temporary staff. Mount Sinai said it was prepared to continue operations with replacement nurses, blaming the union for what it called “extreme economic demands.”
