Nurses point to staffing shortages, benefits and safety concerns<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) \u2014 Thousands of nurses at several major New York City hospitals walked off the job Monday, marking the largest nurses’ strike the city has ever seen.<\/p>\n
The strike affects five major hospitals: Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, Mount Sinai West, Montefiore Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian\/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.<\/p>\n
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani<\/a> joined nurses on the picket line outside NewYork-Presbyterian\/Columbia, voicing support for their demands, The Wall Street Journal<\/em> reported.<\/p>\n \u201cThey show up and all they are asking for in return is dignity and respect and the fair pay and treatment that they deserve,\u201d Mamdani said. \u201cThey should settle for nothing less.\u201d<\/p>\n The walkout follows stalled contract talks between hospitals and the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).<\/p>\n Union leaders say hospital executives have failed to address their most urgent concerns, such as patient safety and basic nurse protections.<\/p>\n \u201cHospital management refuses to address our most important issues: patient and nurse safety,\u201d Nancy Hagans<\/a>, president of NYSNA, said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is shameful that the city\u2019s richest hospitals refuse to continue health care benefits for frontline nurses, refuse to staff safely for our patients, and refuse to protect us from workplace violence,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n Hospital leaders say they are prepared to continue operating during the strike.<\/p>\n Mount Sinai said it has staffing plans in place but blamed the strike on what it called \u201cextreme economic demands\u201d from the union.<\/p>\n A Montefiore spokesperson offered a similar assessment.<\/p>\n \u201cNYSNA\u2019s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job,” the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n Montefiore said it has already proposed keeping current health care benefits and has rolled out safety measures such as wearable panic badges and other security upgrades.<\/p>\n NewYork-Presbyterian said it has offered \u201csignificant wage increases\u201d and improved benefits, adding that it remains focused on patient care during the strike.<\/p>\n Over the weekend, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul<\/a> signed an executive order requiring state health officials to be on-site at the affected hospitals to ensure patient care continues. Hochul urged both sides to reach an agreement quickly.<\/p>\n The strike comes as other hospitals have avoided similar action. Nurses at three Northwell Health hospitals on Long Island reached tentative agreements last week, and eight safety-net hospitals in New York City have also settled contracts. Safety-net hospitals provide essential care for uninsured, low-income and other vulnerable individuals.<\/p>\n The last major nurses strike in New York City happened in 2023, when about 7,000 nurses walked out at Montefiore Bronx and Mount Sinai Hospital.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n Usnursing.com has more on what happens during a nurse strike<\/a>.<\/p>\n