(The Center Square) — Thousands of Nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian are headed back to work this week after agreeing to a three-year contract, ending the longest strike by health care workers in New York City history.
More than 90% of the hospital system’s 4,200 unionized nurses voted Saturday to ratify the three-year contract, which includes an increase in salaries by more than 12% over the next three years and an increase in the number of nurses, among other concessions, according to the New York State Nurses Association.
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said nurses “showed what it means to advocate for patients, and this moment will go down in history as a win for our communities, in the fight for healthcare justice, and for the labor movement.”
“They stood in the cold, snow, ice and wind, along with their union siblings, fighting back management’s attempts to cut corners on care and secured contracts that improve enforceable safe staffing ratios, improve protections from workplace violence, and maintain health benefits with no additional out-of-pocket costs for frontline nurses,” she said.
More than 15,000 unionized nurses at Mount Sinai, Montefiore and NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals hit the picket lines shortly on Jan. 12 after union leaders said talks with hospital officials failed to make “meaningful progress” on core demands. Those range from improved pay and health care benefits to staffing levels and workplace violence protections.
Ahead of the strike, hospital executives warned the union’s proposed salary and benefit packages would drive up hospital costs by billions of dollars in the coming years as they face financial pressures over cuts in Medicaid funding and other federal support.
The health care systems have pointed out that the current pay for unionized nurses’ salaries averages $162,000 to $165,000 a year, not including benefits.
Nurses at Montefiore, Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Morningside and West reached a deal two weeks ago to end their strike. The union’s rank and file membership approved the contract, which included 12% raises over three years and new rules for staffing levels and workplace violence protection.
NewYork-Presbyterian nurses rejected a proposed contract early next week, but negotiators returned to the table and hammered out a new agreement, marking an end to the 41-day strike.
“We are pleased to share that we have a new ratified contract with the New York State Nurses Association and look forward to our nurses’ return to the hospital,” NewYork-Presbyterian said in a statement. “The new contract reflects our respect for our nurses and the critical role they play as part of our exceptional care teams.”
