Nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital have ratified a new three-year contract following months of negotiations focused on staffing, workplace safety, wages and protections for nurses and patients.
Members of the New York State Nurses Association voted overwhelmingly to approve the agreement on Friday, Aug. 28.
The contract includes enforceable safe staffing standards, stronger workplace violence protections, annual 4 percent wage increases and safeguards for registered nurses’ clinical judgment as artificial intelligence becomes more prevalent in health care.
The agreement addresses safety concerns at the Brooklyn hospital, where NYSNA members have reported harassment, groping and assaults while working. An active shooter incident in January also heightened concerns about workplace safety. The contract also includes improvements to emergency response teams and weapons detection systems, as well as additional paid time off for nurses who are victims of workplace violence, according to NYSNA.
Staffing provisions are another major part of the agreement. The union said new language will prevent the hospital from rejecting arbitrators, which it said has contributed to delays in resolving staffing grievances.
In August of 2024, nurses brought management to arbitration over alleged understaffing in labor, delivery, the pediatric intensive care unit and neonatal intensive care unit. NYSNA said the hospital used legal maneuvers that delayed the hearing.
During the contract campaign, nurses held an informational picket outside the hospital, organized a candlelight vigil and spoke with community members about workplace violence in health care settings.
The agreement follows the broader New York City nurses’ strike earlier this year, which involved nearly 15,000 nurses across several hospital systems.
