After 41 Days, Historic Nurse Strike Ends
For Immediate Release: Feb. 21, 2026
Contact: Andrea Penman-Lomeli | press@nysna.org | 347-559-3169
Anne Songcayauon| press@nysna.org | 917-226-8570
AFTER 41 DAYS, HISTORIC NURSE STRIKE ENDS
NURSES AT NEWYORK-PRESBYTERIAN VOTE OVERWHELMINGLY TO RATIFY A NEW CONTRACT
Nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian system vote overwhelmingly to ratify a contract that protects patient and nurse safety and begin returning to work next week
After 41 days on strike, NYSNA nurses celebrate contract victory
New York, NY — On Saturday, NYSNA nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian (NYP) vote overwhelmingly to ratify new 3-year agreements. After 41 days, this vote ends the historic strike, which began as the largest nurse strike in New York City history on Jan. 12, when approximately 15,000 NYSNA nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and West, Montefiore Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian began picketing.
NYSNA nurses at NYP voted overwhelmingly to ratify their new 3-year contract. 93% voted yes, and 7% voted to reject the contract. Nurses at NYP went into their strike with their union siblings fighting for safety and, after 41 days, ratified a fair contract that delivers on that demand. They will begin returning to work next week.
During this historic nurse strike, nurses fought to protect and improve care for New Yorkers. They faced some of the wealthiest, largest private employers in the city and fought against unseen levels of union-busting, public denigration, and delay tactics. Hospitals flaunted the millions they spent on temporary travel nurses, rather than investing in safe patient care. Despite this, they achieved contracts that set industry standards and will improve care for New Yorkers.
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN, said, “This is a proud moment for our union. 15,000 NYSNA nurses went out on strike, and finally all 15,000 will be returning to the bedside. We are so happy with the wins we achieved, and now the fight to enforce these contracts and hold our employers accountable begins. NYSNA nurses showed what it means to advocate for patients, and this moment will go down in history as a win for our communities, in the fight for healthcare justice, and for the labor movement.”
NYSNA Executive Director Pat Kane, RN, CNOR(e), said, “We’re so proud of our NYSNA nurses and so grateful for our allies who showed up over and over again on our picket lines. Nurses went up against the wealthiest, largest private employers who tried to undermine nurses’ spirit and union power repeatedly. Nurses remained strong through one of the hardest fights the labor movement has seen in this city in years and proved to employers that when you mess with nurses, you have to face the city’s entire labor movement. The support that community organizations, patients and the public gave us kept us strong against these powerful behemoths and, in the end, we achieved wins that will improve care for New York.”
Nurses at BronxCare Health System, The Brooklyn Hospital Center, Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Interfaith Medical Center / One Brooklyn Health, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center / One Brooklyn Health, Maimonides Medical Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and West, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University Medical Center, Richmond University Medical Center and Wyckoff Heights Medical Center began bargaining in September and voted overwhelmingly to issue 10-day strike notices on Dec. 22.
Nurses at Montefiore Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and West and NewYork-Presbyterian went on the largest and longest nurse strike in New York City history on January 12. Nurses picketed at Montefiore Weiler, Montefiore Henry & Lucy Moses, Montefiore Hutchinson, Montefiore Children's Hospital, NewYork-Presbyterian Allen, NewYork-Presbyterian CUMC, NewYork-Presbyterian CHONY, Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West through some of the coldest temperatures in the city and demonstrated their incredible resolve to protect patient and nurse safety through fair contracts.
The contracts that over 20,000 NYSNA nurses at 12 private sector hospitals secured:
- Improve enforceable safe staffing standards and increase the number of nurses to improve patient care.
- Protect their health benefits that hospitals threatened to drastically cut.
- Protect nurses from workplace violence.
- Protect immigrant patients and nurses.
- Safeguard against artificial intelligence in their contracts for the first time.
- Increase salaries by more than 12% over the life of the 3-year contract to recruit and retain nurses for safe patient care.
- Beat back aggressive take aways on healthcare and safe staffing enforcement.
Over the last month and a half, NYSNA nurses were joined by Sen. Bernie Sanders, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, NYS Attorney General Tish James, labor leaders, local elected officials, community allies, and more. To see photos, visit https://www.facebook.com/nynurses/.
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The New York State Nurses Association represents more than 42,000 members in New York State. We are New York’s largest union and professional association for registered nurses. NYSNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United, AFL-CIO, the country's largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses, with more than 225,000 members nationwide.