Nearly 16,000 New York City nurses are set to strike across five major private hospitals after contract talks over pay, staffing and benefits stalled. The New York State Nurses Association alleges hospitals have large cash reserves and disproportionate CEO pay while seeking takeaways from nurses. Hospitals say they are bargaining in good faith and are preparing contingency plans. Union leaders also cite rising assaults on health-care workers and a recent active-shooter incident as reasons they need better staffing and protections.
Nearly 16,000 NYC Nurses Prepare To Strike Over Pay, Staffing and Safety at Major Hospitals
A nurse holds a sign during a strike at Mount Sinai hospital in New York on 9 January 2023.Photograph: Bloomberg/Getty Images
Nearly 16,000 nurses across New York City are preparing to strike on Monday after contract negotiations stalled over pay, staffing ratios and benefits. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) says the walkout — planned at five large private hospitals — aims to force hospital systems to prioritize patient care over profit.
Union Claims and Demands
NYSNA leaders say chief executive pay at three institutions — Montefiore, Mount Sinai and New York Presbyterian — is almost 12,000 times the average nurse’s pay. The union also claims that those three hospitals hold roughly $1.6 billion in cash or cash equivalents and have begun hiring travel nurses to prepare for potential strike action.
"What we are asking them is to take those millions and invest it into the community so we could continue to work to care for our patients, invest it into staffing, invest those millions into our medical coverage so we could come to work," said Nancy Hagans, president of NYSNA and a nurse at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn for more than 30 years. "We're not asking to strike. Management is the one who’s telling us that we need to strike. They are the ones putting us on the picket line."
Safety Concerns
Union leaders cite a sharp rise in assaults on health-care workers since the Covid-19 pandemic and point to an active-shooter incident at Mount Sinai last November. NYSNA says three nurses were reportedly disciplined after speaking out about that incident; Mount Sinai has denied retaliation claims tied to the event.
Hospital Responses
Hospital officials insist they are bargaining in good faith and have accused the union of attempting to disrupt patient care. A Mount Sinai spokesperson said the union has refused to move off what the hospital called "extreme economic proposals" that would require billions in additional spending on compensation and hiring. New York Presbyterian said the threatened strike appears intended to disrupt citywide patient care and that the hospital has taken steps to protect patient safety. Montefiore did not respond to requests for comment.
Negotiation Status
NYSNA issued 10-day strike notices on 2 January across a number of New York hospitals. Since then, seven smaller hospitals moved forward in contract talks and had strike notices rescinded. About 1,000 nurses at three Northwell hospitals on Long Island have also filed strike notices, the union said. Union members say bargaining has been underway since September 2025 with little progress at several larger institutions.
What Could Happen Next
Union leaders say they want hospitals to guarantee safe staffing ratios, maintain health-care benefits for nurses and address workplace safety concerns. Hospital systems say they are preparing contingency plans, including hiring temporary staff, to ensure patient care continues if nurses picket. The situation remains fluid as both sides return to the negotiating table under a limited timeline before the planned action.
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