New Yorkers understand the role nurses played during COVID and beyond, and with a very difficult flu season now under way, we are all aware of how important nurses are, and how overextended they are,” Boylan added. The strike poses a major political test at both the city and state levels. Governor Kathy Hochul is up for re-election, and pro-labour Zohran Mamdani’s recent mayoral win in New York City has increased pressure on the governor to side with progressives across the state.

Workers are demanding more robust staffing levels and higher pay. The strike comes three years after a smaller job action won significant gains. ... Nearly 15,000 nurses at major New York City hospitals went on strike on Monday, demanding more ...

Others picketed at hospitals in the Mount Sinai and Montefiore systems, where a 2023 nursing strike fed off pandemic-era frustrations and led to a deal to boost staffing and pay. “And now, it’s how they’re treating us: They don’t want to give us a fair contract, and they don’t want to give us safe staffing, and now they’re trying to roll back on our benefits,” emergency department nurse Tristan Castillo said Monday outside Mount Sinai West. About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to their union, the New York State Nurses Association.

Sinai on Tuesday for terminating the three nurses on the eve of the strike. Mt. Sinai maintains the nurses had hid supplies from replacement nurses in training during emergency preparedness drills. It said the “completely unacceptable behavior” was captured on security footage. Meanwhile, NewYork-Presbyterian called the union’s wage proposals “unrealistic,” saying they represent a roughly 25% wage increase over the next three years. It also stressed that administrators are not seeking to eliminate health benefits for nurses, as the union claims.

Nearly 15,000 nurses are on strike over negotiations with three major hospital networks.