NY nurses union threatens strike with hours until deadline

The union representing New York nurses threatened to strike at the city’s major privately-run hospitals if a new labor contract isn’t locked in or major progress isn’t made on Sunday.

The New York State Nurse Association will strike Monday at hospitals including NY Presbyterian, Mount Sinai and Montefiore medical after testy negotiations and an apparent impasse over salaries and benefits, including medical coverage and staffing levels.

Hospital officials said they have prepared strike contingency plans to continue medical appointments and care.

“While we know a strike can be disruptive, we are prepared for a strike that could last an indefinite amount of time and have taken every step to best support our patients and employees in the event NYSNA forces our nurses to walk away from the bedside for the second time in three years,” a Mount Sinai spokesperson said.

Mount Sinai said it has hired more than 1,000 nurses across its three hospitals.

“We expect most appointments will proceed as originally scheduled,” the statement said. “There has been tremendous coordination across our entire network to manage discharges and ensure that we are prepared for the start of the strike and able to increase our capacity if a potential strike drags on.”

NYSNA, in an advisory issued Sunday morning, said the strike will begin at 6 a.m. Monday at Mount Sinai Hospital and Mount Sinai Morningside and West facilities – and at 7 a.m. at Montefiore, and NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals.

Key sticking points in negotiations, according to NYSNA, include management’s threats to cut healthcare benefits for frontline nurses, and rolling back safe staffing standards the union secured when its nurses went on strike at two major hospitals three years ago.

The union also claimed hospital management has refused to agree to protections from workplace violence.

It cited an incident last week at Brooklyn Methodist hospital, where a bloodied, blade-wielding patient was shot and killed by cops after he barricaded himself in a room with an elderly patient and a staffer — sending the Park Slope medical center into lockdown.

But hospital officials claim the union has submitted outlandish salary demands and rejected proposed safety improvements.

“NYSNA leadership’s reckless and irresponsible demands totaling $3.6 billion, including a nearly 40% wage increase, and taking issue with our reasonable measures like rolling out panic buttons for frontline staff in the Emergency Department, clearly put patients at risk,” said Joe Solmonese, Montefiore’s senior vice president for strategic communications.

“We are preparing for what we anticipate could be a multi-week strike, and are resolute in devoting whatever resources are necessary to safe and seamless care for our community.”

NYSNA claimed its members are not asking for outrageous wage demands.

It said Northwell’s Plainview, Syosset and Huntington hospital nurses signed tentative agreements on new contracts on Friday that included 5% annual increases over three years and maintained good benefits and bolstered safety standards.