Potential nurses strike still looming at 8 NYC, Long Island hospitals

Roughly 17,000 nurses across eight hospitals in New York City and Long Island could take to the picket line as soon as next Monday.

Last Friday, nurses within the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) served a 10-day strike notice to 15 hospitals in New York City and Long Island.

As of Tuesday, nurses at seven hospitals have rescinded the strike notice. Those nurses hope to reach a tentative agreement by Friday. NYSNA membership will have the final word and vote to approve or deny the contract.

Negotiations continue with Mount Sinai

Darla Joiner, a nurse at Mount Sinai, said NYSNA is far from a deal and nurses are ready to walk off. She said they're fighting for better nurse-to-patient care, higher wages, and better hospital security and health care coverage.

"Getting health insurance paid by the employer, that was a very recent win as of three years ago, too," Joiner said. "So it's just like, for them to take these things back, it's just as fast as we gained it, too, and that's not fair to the nurses."

A spokesperson with Mount Sinai released a statement saying that they are bargaining in good faith and accusing the union of extreme proposals that jeopardize the financial stability of hospitals across New York City.

"NYSNA has refused to move off of its extreme economic proposals, including increasing the average nurse salary by $110,000 to $272,000 per year - for 10 days of work per month," the spokesperson wrote, in part.

"Greatly exaggerated ... They're including everything," Joiner said. "They're including health insurance. They're including your pension, taxes. These are things fully to a salary."

"Put patients before profits"

NYSYNA President Nancy Hagens said Maimonides Medical Center agreed to enhanced staffing, job protection, medical coverage and fair wages.

Hagens said she considers it a win.

"Especially for our safety in that hospital," she said. "It's a win for our patients. It's a win for our communities."

Hagens added, "To those rich hospitals ... put patients before profits."

Hagens and Joiner said they're hopeful all hospitals can reach a fair deal before the strike deadline.