New York City Nearly 15,000 nurses at some of the city’s largest hospitals walked off the job on Monday in what union leaders say is the largest nurses strike in the city’s history. The action comes after weeks of stalled contract negotiations between the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) and several major private hospital systems, including Mount Sinai Hospital and its satellite campuses, NewYork-Presbyterian, and Montefiore Medical Center.
Nurses are demanding safer staffing levels, better wages and benefits, stronger protections against workplace violence, and limitations on the use of artificial intelligence in patient care issues they say go to the heart of patient safety and the quality of care delivered in the city’s hospitals.
The walkout began early Monday after negotiations failed to produce a deal before the union’s deadline. Union leaders have emphasized that nurses feel their concerns have been ignored despite their vital role on the front lines of public health.
The strike has significant implications for healthcare delivery during a severe flu season that has already put pressure on hospitals statewide. In response to the labor action, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency, allowing temporary healthcare workers to assist and support continuity of care across affected facilities.
Hospital administrators say they have taken steps to maintain patient services, including hiring temporary nurses and adjusting operations. They also describe the union’s financial demands as excessive, while arguing they are committed to ensuring patient safety despite the labor disruption.
City leaders, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, have shown solidarity with striking nurses, highlighting the essential role they play in the healthcare system and urging continued negotiations to resolve the dispute.
As the strike unfolds, New Yorkers are watching closely to see how hospitals, caregivers, and officials navigate this major labor standoff at a time of heightened public health need.
