Thousands of NYC Nurses Launch Historic Strike Over Pay, Staffing, and Safety

Record Nurse Strike Unfolds Across New York City Hospitals

New York City’s health care system faced a major test on Monday as nearly 15,000 nurses began a coordinated work stoppage after contract negotiations failed to produce an agreement before the deadline. The action marks the largest nurse strike ever recorded in the city, affecting several of its busiest hospital networks.

The walkout follows the expiration of nurses’ contracts at the end of December. Union leaders say months of talks did not resolve key disputes over wages, staffing levels, benefits, and workplace safety, prompting nurses to leave their posts early Monday morning.

Hospitals Impacted Across the City

The strike involves nurses from major medical centers, including Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, Mount Sinai West, Montefiore Hospital, and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. As shifts changed at dawn, groups of nurses gathered outside facilities, chanting and using drums and whistles to draw attention to their demands.

Union representatives argue that chronic understaffing has increased pressure on nurses and compromised patient care. They are also seeking stronger protections against workplace violence, along with improved pay structures and fully funded benefits.

City and State Response

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani appeared alongside striking nurses, framing the dispute as a broader question about fairness within the health care industry. He emphasized that while hospital systems generate significant revenue, many frontline workers continue to struggle financially. The mayor urged hospital executives and union leaders to resume negotiations immediately, saying the city is focused on safeguarding both patients and health care workers during the disruption.

At the state level, Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency ahead of the strike, warning that prolonged labor action could pose serious risks to patient safety across the region.

Hospitals Remain Open

Despite the strike, all affected hospitals confirmed they remain operational. Several systems, including Mount Sinai, reported bringing in large numbers of temporary and agency nurses to maintain patient care and reduce service interruptions.

Hospital officials stated that contingency plans have been in place for weeks, stressing that patient safety remains their top priority during the labor action.

Meanwhile, not all negotiations ended in conflict. Three Northwell Health hospitals on Long Island reached last-minute agreements with nurses, successfully avoiding a strike at those facilities.

As talks remain stalled in the city, the scale of the walkout underscores growing tensions within the health care workforce and raises broader questions about staffing, compensation, and the future stability of hospital systems in America’s largest city.

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