The New York City nurses’ strike was put to an end early on Thursday when their union and Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center tentatively agreed contract terms.
The new agreements were hailed as a “historic triumph” for nurses nationwide as well as in New York City by Nancy Hagans, president of the New York State Nurses Association.
She added in a statement that “we gained enforceable safe staffing ratios at both Montefiore and Mount Sinai where nurses went on strike for patient care via our unity and by putting it all on the line.” Today, we can go back to work with confidence because we know that our triumph will result in safer patient care and more secure employment for our profession.
After failing to reach deals with the hospitals on new contracts that satisfied their demands for nurse-to-patient staffing ratios and a contractual method to enforce them, more than 7,000 nurses from the two hospitals went on strike on Monday. Previous contracts between the hospitals and the nurses expired on December 31.
President and CEO of Montefiore, Dr. Philip O. Ozuah, praised the new deal’s provisions for staffing, benefits, and compensation increases.
In these bargaining meetings, he said, “We arrived with great respect for our nurses and proposals that represent their interests in terms of wages, benefits, safety, and staffing.” “We are thrilled to offer a 19% wage rise, benefits that are equal to or better than those of our peer institutions, more than 170 new nurse posts, and a substantial plan to address recruitment and retention,” the statement reads.
The planned agreement, according to a Mount Sinai representative, is comparable to agreements previously made between NYSNA and eight other private hospitals located throughout the city.
The spokeswoman characterised the agreement as “fair and appropriate, and it prioritises the needs of patients.”
The governor, her staff, and other anonymous political officials were also recognised by Mount Sinai for “their leadership and support during the negotiation process.”
At Mount Sinai, Hochul welcomed the returning nurses on Thursday morning.