What to know as New York City nurses strike for a 3rd day

New York City nurses continued their strike for a third consecutive day on Wednesday, with little sign of resolution as the walkout deepens at three major hospital systems. The labor action, which began Monday, has affected thousands of patients across multiple medical facilities and represents the largest nursing strike in decades to hit America’s most populous city.

Approximately 15,000 nurses unionized under the New York State Nurses Association remain on picket lines outside Mount Sinai, Montefiore, and NewYork-Presbyterian hospitals. Despite the widespread participation, Mount Sinai officials claim an increasing number of nurses are breaking ranks, with the hospital reporting that 23% of unionized nurses continued working Wednesday, up from 20% the previous day.

Communication between the striking nurses and hospital administrators has largely stalled. No formal negotiations have taken place since Sunday, before the strike began. However, a NewYork-Presbyterian spokesperson indicated that hospital administrators plan to meet with union representatives on Thursday evening, potentially signaling the first step toward resolving the impasse.

During a rally at Montefiore’s Bronx facility on Wednesday, nurses articulated their core concerns: inadequate staffing levels, workplace safety issues, and healthcare benefits. Emergency room nurse Erika Perrotta described overcrowded conditions where patients are routinely left in hallways due to lack of space. “It’s unacceptable,” she told supporters gathered outside the hospital.

Workplace violence emerged as another critical concern. Montefiore nurse Phiona Hunnigan-McFarlane shared her experience of being punched to the ground by a troubled patient, resulting in injuries so severe she required six months of family care while unable to work.

Hospital administrators have characterized the union’s salary demands as financially untenable. According to Montefiore, the union proposal would increase average nursing salaries from the current $163,000 to $220,000 within three years. Mount Sinai claims the union’s proposal would push average salaries to nearly $250,000 in the same timeframe.

Responding to safety concerns raised at Wednesday’s rally, Montefiore defended its security protocols as “best-in-class,” citing measures including weapons detection systems, around-the-clock armed NYPD officers, internal security personnel, and wearable panic buttons for nursing staff.

The ongoing labor dispute has introduced additional complexity to the healthcare landscape during the peak of flu season. Mount Sinai reported a 25% increase in emergency department registrations since the strike began. In preparation for the walkout, hospitals canceled scheduled surgeries, transferred patients from specialized units, and accelerated discharges to manage patient loads with temporary staff.

Despite these challenges, some patients report minimal disruption to services. Ruth Villanueva, a 75-year-old who visited Montefiore on Wednesday, told reporters she noticed no difference in care quality, adding that she believed nurses deserved better compensation.

The hospital systems have employed thousands of temporary contract nurses to maintain operations during the strike, and officials say they’re committed to keeping these fill-in workers at least through next week, suggesting they are preparing for a potentially extended labor action.

This marks the second significant nursing strike to affect these hospitals in recent years. A similar action in 2023 lasted three days and resulted in a contract that included a 19% pay increase over three years at Mount Sinai and Montefiore. That agreement also addressed staffing and workload concerns, though union officials now claim the hospitals are attempting to walk back those guarantees in current negotiations.

As the strike continues, both sides remain entrenched in their positions, with hospitals describing the union’s demands as “extreme” and “exorbitant,” while nurses insist their requests are necessary to ensure patient safety and appropriate care standards in one of the nation’s most critical healthcare markets.