NYC nurses reach a deal to end a strike at 2 major hospitals while walkout continues at another

NEW YORK (AP) — Nurses and two major hospital systems in New York City have reached a deal to end a nearly monthlong strike over staffing levels, workplace safety, health insurance and other issues.

The tentative agreement announced Monday by the union representing nurses involves the Montefiore and Mount Sinai hospital systems. Nurses remain on strike at NewYork Presbyterian.

The walkout began Jan. 12, prompting the hospitals to scramble to hire legions of temporary nurses to fill in during a demanding flu season.

The union said members at Montefiore and Mount Sinai hospitals will vote on whether to ratify the contracts and return to work this week.

The three-year-deal affects roughly 10,500 of the some 15,000 nurses on strike at some of the city’s biggest private, nonprofit hospitals, with thousands of beds among them.

“For four weeks, nearly 15,000 NYSNA members held the line in the cold and in the snow for safe patient care,” Nancy Hagans, president of the New York State Nurses Association, said in a statement. “Now, nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai systems are heading back to the bedside with our heads held high.”

The nurses union said the agreement calls for a 12% pay raise over three years as well as maintain nurses’ health benefits with no additional out-of-pocket costs.

The pact also includes new protections against workplace violence, including specific protections for transgender and immigrant nurses and patients as well as safeguards against artificial intelligence, the union said.

Nurses at Montefiore, Mount Sinai, and Mount Sinai Morningside and West will vote to ratify their contracts starting today, the union said.

If the tentative contract agreements are ratified, nurses will return to work on Saturday.

A Montefiore spokesperson declined to comment other than to say its nurses are expected to vote Wednesday on the pact.

Spokespeople for the other two hospital systems didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment.