Over 15,000 nurses in New York City launch their largest-ever strike, declaring a state of emergency over stalled contract talks on pay and conditions.
NEW YORK: Some 15,000 nurses commenced a major strike on Monday across three large private hospital groups in New York City.
The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) said the walkout followed months of deadlocked negotiations for a new contract.
Officials declared a state of emergency over the historic work stoppage.
Picket lines formed at several private hospitals, including facilities run by New York-Presbyterian, Montefiore Bronx, and Mount Sinai.
“Unfortunately, greedy hospital executives have decided to put profits above safe patient care and force nurses out on strike when we would rather be at the bedsides of our patients,” said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans.
She stated that hospital management refuses to address critical issues of patient and nurse safety.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani rallied in support of the striking nurses on Monday.
“We know that during 9/11 it was nurses that tended to the wounded,” he said while wearing a red NYSNA scarf.
Mamdani added that during the global pandemic, nurses worked at the expense of their own health.
He called on all sides to return immediately to the negotiating table and bargain in good faith.
The affected hospital groups discharged or transferred a number of patients and canceled some surgeries.
They also drafted in temporary staff to maintain operations.
A Mount Sinai spokesperson told CBS News that NYSNA refused to move on from extreme economic demands.
The spokesperson said the hospital is prepared with 1,400 qualified temporary nurses to provide safe patient care for the strike’s duration.
