Striking nurses and hospital management returned to the bargaining table on Tuesday, with hopes of ending the largest nurses strike in NYC history.
Before midnight on Wednesday, NewYork-Presbyterian said the hospital made slight progress during late-night bargaining with the nurses, facilitated by a third party.
“The NewYork-Presbyterian bargaining team was on site at the Javits Center today, working through the mediator to exchange proposals on non-economic matters,” the hospital said in a statement. “We made incremental progress and reached one tentative agreement.”
The hospital did not elaborate further on the details of the single agreement. Over the weekend, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), the union representing the striking nurses, said both NewYork-Presbyterian and Mount Sinai agreed to keep the caretakers’ health insurance in place.
Press conference with City Council Labor Chair planned on Wednesday
At Montefiore in the Bronx — the third hospital involved in the strike — nurses planned a press conference for Wednesday afternoon with NYC Council Member Shirley Aldebol, who chairs the legislature’s Labor Committee.
NYSNA nurses and management at all affected hospitals continued bargaining as picketing outside the hospitals continued on Wednesday.
Nearly 15,000 nurses have been on strike at hospitals since Jan. 12, working to secure a fair contract; their previous contract expired on Dec. 31.
“We’ve seen the force of this [presidential] administration’s anti-immigrant, anti-labor influence on our society and in our hospitals, and it’s part of the reason why this strike is still going. Patient and nurse safety is far too important for us to cut corners,” said Nancy Hagans, RN, president of NYSNA. “So, we will continue to defend our patients as long as it takes to get the healthcare New Yorkers deserve.”
Sticking points in the contract negotiations
NYSNA said the remaining sticking points in the bargaining process include staffing standards to “ensure patients receive the time and attention they need from nurses,” while ensuring caretakers are not overburdened.
The nurses are also demanding better pay and protections from workplace violence.
“Workplace violence is only getting worse and puts the safety of nurses and patients at risk,” a NYSNA statement read.
Both the hospitals and the union maintain that they are committed to the bargaining process. 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 all New Yorkers to seek hospital care if needed.
