Nurses Hold Vigil for Safety at Mount Sinai

Throughout contract negotiations, nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital have been calling on management to protect patient care and the nurses who deliver it. Nurses have been meeting for months and offering proposals to address workplace safety and violence, however, administrators have not taken concrete steps to improve safety.

After an active shooter threatened to shoot up Mount Sinai Hospital, nurses spoke out and called on hospital administrators to address urgent contract proposals and take immediate action to better secure hospital entrances. The incident was a tragic reminder for many nurses of what happens when hospital administrators continue to ignore nurses’ calls for workplace violence prevention, including functional weapons detection systems at every hospital entrance. Check out NYSNA’s full statement on the incident.

Instead of listening to the nurses, the day after Thanksgiving, Mount Sinai disciplined three members of the Executive Committee and suspended one of them. The hospital claims these members were disruptive on the unit, but we know this is simply union busting and retaliation for speaking out in the media.

Nurses and patients deserve a hospital that is a place of safety, healing and quality care.

On Thursday, Dec. 4, around the same time as the tragic incident, nurses held a vigil in front of the hospital to end workplace violence and retaliation. In the face of hospital retaliation, they spoke out again. They made it clear that nurses will not settle a contract unless the hospital removes these unjust disciplines and addresses the punitive culture at Mount Sinai. The City, ABC, and PIX11 covered their actions.

Mount Sinai nurses continued their demands for safety and an end to the hospital’s union busting as they gathered outside the hospital on Dec. 11 for a vigil. Assembly Member Edward Gibbs, City Council Member Gale Brewer, the New York City Central Labor Council, Housing Works, the New York Hotel & Gaming Trades Council, 1199SEIU and the Labor-Religion Coalition of New York State all joined the nurses at their vigil. PIX11 covered the Dec. 11 vigil.

NYSNA nurses throughout NYC private sector hospitals also stickered up to show their support and solidarity with Mount Sinai Hospital nurses who were unfairly disciplined.

Unfortunately, Sinai didn’t get the message. They are continuing to intimidate and discipline nurses. On Dec. 18, another member of the executive committee was unfairly disciplined.  

Nurses refuse to back down. They are more united than ever and will continue to gather and call attention to the safety issues until the hospital takes proactive measures to address their concerns and rescinds the unfair discipline. Sinai nurses at Mount Sinai Morningside and West held a vigil in solidarity with the Sinai Main Hospital nurses on Monday, Dec. 22, showing that our movement is growing. Sinai nurses will continue to fight for a fair contract that protects and respects both nurses and patients.