NYC Private Sector Nurses Begin Strike Votes
Strike votes are starting at New York City hospitals! NewYork-Presbyterian, Montefiore and BronxCare kicked off their strike votes this weekend, and voting starts Dec. 8 at Mount Sinai Hospital, Sinai Morningside and West and The Brooklyn Hospital Center. Contract Action Teams are gathering a super majority of strike pledge cards at other facilities, and nurses are scheduling strike votes this week at Flushing, OBH Interfaith and Kingsbrook Jewish and Richmond University Medical Center, and next week at Maimonides and Wyckoff.
A yes vote authorizes NYSNA’s bargaining committees to call for a strike if a contract isn’t reached by the Dec. 31 deadline and shows management that nurses are ready to do whatever it takes to win a fair contract. Going on strike is always a last resort, and NYSNA nurses will continue to do everything within our power to settle fair contracts.
Strike Pledge Cards Launch Citywide
Nurses at all 12 New York City hospitals have been bargaining for months and have been frustrated with the slow pace of negotiations. Although NYSNA nurses delivered their proposals at the beginning of bargaining, many employers seemed unprepared and have not presented counterproposals yet. The counterproposals nurses have received so far include insulting givebacks that would erode safe staffing and quality patient care.
Across New York City, NYSNA nurses at private sector hospitals are signing strike pledge cards to send a clear message to management that nurses are united and ready to fight to win what they deserve. Contract Action Teams worked throughout Thanksgiving weekend to collect cards, using their holiday to build a stronger union.
Mount Sinai Tries to Silence Nurses Speaking Out About Workplace Violence
On Thursday, Dec. 4, nurses held a vigil in front of the hospital to end workplace violence and retaliation. 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 were disciplined after raising security concerns in the wake of the recent active shooter incident at the hospital. The incident was a tragic reminder of what happens when hospital administrators continue to ignore nurses’ calls for workplace violence prevention, including functional weapons detection systems at every hospital entrance. Nurses and patients deserve a hospital that is a place of safety, healing and quality care. Check out Pix11 and CBS coverage, and read NYSNA’s full statement on the incident.
At the vigil, nurses made it clear that they 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 will hold a vigil every Thursday evening until management drops discipline charges against their executive committee members and takes steps to address workplace violence.
Nurses Rally and Testify at New York City Council
On Nov. 18, the New York City Council Committee on Hospitals held an oversight hearing on the state of nursing, and more than 20 NYSNA nurses testified to sound the alarm on the current conditions at New York City’s private hospitals. Over 200 nurses and allies — joined by Hospitals Committee Chair Mercedes Narcisse, Health Committee Chair Lynn Schulman, and Labor Committee Chair Carmen De La Rosa — packed the steps of City Hall for a press conference and rally ahead of the hearing.
Nurses urged lawmakers to support them in their demand that New York City private sector hospitals invest in safe patient care rather than executive pay and risky speculation on artificial intelligence. NYSNA’s rally was streamed live on our Facebook page and testimony can be watched on the City Council’s website.
The press — including News 12, New York Amsterdam News, El Diario, the Staten Island Advance, Politico and WBAI live — covered the press conference and hearing.