Progress has been made in the historic NYC nurses strike, as two affected hospitals have agreed to maintain nurses’ health benefits — a key sticking point in the labor standoff.
The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), the union representing the nearly 15,000 striking nurses, said Mount Sinai and NewYork-Presbyterian have agreed to keep in place the nurses’ health benefits plan.
“Working through mediators, Mount Sinai and NewYork-Presbyterian agreed to maintain the current high-quality NYSNA Plan A health coverage without cuts,” a statement from the union read. “NYSNA nurses fought and cleared a major hurdle on one of the key sticking points in bargaining—maintaining health benefits for frontline nurses and our families.”
Health benefits were not part of negotiations at Montefiore in the Bronx, the third hospital system involved in the strike. Meanwhile, officials at Mount Sinai have maintained that they never proposed reducing healthcare benefits; rather, they suggested cost controls that the union can use, such as lists for prescription drugs.
“And with respect to benefits, we have offered lump sum increases to NYSNA so that they can allocate those funds to salary and benefits however they choose,” Mount Sinai’s CEO, Brendan Carr, MD, said.
Similar to Mount Sinai, NewYork-Presbyterian has maintained that the hospital did not propose cutting health benefits. But still, an agreement was met.
“We never proposed eliminating health benefits; rather, our comprehensive proposal has always included health benefits that are some of the best in the nation,” a statement from the hospital read. “This weekend, through the mediator, NYSNA and hospital leadership have agreed on a process wherein the Trustees of the Health Benefits Plan will form a committee to work on potential savings and programs in our nurses’ healthcare plan.”
Although a battle was won, the war is far from over. NYSNA said the union is continuing to reach final tentative contract agreements at all three affected hospitals.
The milestone in the walkout was reached just days after Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged the union and management to return to the bargaining table last week. Those talks failed to reach a contract agreement. Meanwhile, another bargaining session is planned for Jan. 27 at NewYork-Presbyterian.
“NYSNA nurses at all four hospitals are ready and willing to bargain in good faith on other priority issues to settle fair contracts whenever mediators call us back to the table,” the nurses’ statement read.
Hospital management has also reported that they remain committed to the bargaining process.
Is the winter storm impacting the picket lines?
Due to the winter storm, the nurses were not on the picket line on Sunday or Monday. NYSNA said the nurses will resume picketing on Jan. 27.
The nurses’ contract expired on Dec. 31, 2025. They have been on strike since Jan. 12. They are demanding better pay, more staff and improved workplace conditions.
“Nearly 15,000 nurses continue to strike until we reach full tentative contract agreements that protect patient and nurse safety,” the union said.
Meanwhile, the affected hospitals and their emergency rooms remain open with the help of agency nurses and the NYS Department of Health. Both hospital management and NYSNA urge New Yorkers to seek hospital care if needed.
