It’s over! Historic nurses strike in NYC ends after 41-day labor standoff

New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) members at NewYork-Presbyterian voted overwhelmingly on Saturday to ratify a new contract, officially ending the 41-day nurses strike in NYC.

The new three-year contract increases salaries by more than 12% over its span to recruit and retain nurses for safe patient care, the nurses’ union said. It also provides more protection from workplace violence, improved safe staffing standards and safeguards against AI.

NYSNA reps said 93% of its members voted yes while 7% voted against the contract. More than 4,000 striking nurses will return to work at the Manhattan hospital system this week, though an exact date has not yet been announced.

Nurses at the other two affected hospitals, Montefiore and Mount Sinai, returned to work on Feb. 14 after voting on their new contracts with similar agreements in place.

“This is a proud moment for our union. 15,000 NYSNA nurses went out on strike, and finally all 15,000 will be returning to the bedside,” Nancy Hagans, RN, president of NYSNA, said. “We are so happy with the wins we achieved, and now the fight to enforce these contracts and hold our employers accountable begins.”

NewYork-Presbyterian management said it was “pleased” with the outcome of the agreement.

“We are pleased to share that we have a new ratified contract with NYSNA and look forward to our nurses’ return to the hospital,” a spokesperson 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.”

Nurses strike began on Jan. 12.

Nurses at the impacted hospitals started bargaining in September. Their contracts expired on Dec. 31, leading to the largest nurse strike in New York City history on Jan. 12.

“NYSNA 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,” Hagans said.

Throughout the headline-making labor standoff, the nurses were joined on the picket line at times by labor leaders and local politicians, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Sen. Bernie Sanders.