Nurses at five New York City safety-net hospitals, including four in Brooklyn, rescinded their strike notice on Tuesday after hospital management agreed to maintain and pay healthcare benefits for frontline nurses.
Over 16,700 nurses at seven NYC hospitals were still set to strike in five days, but the New York State Nurses Association said management at One Brooklyn Health Interfaith Medical Center, One Brooklyn Health Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, Maimonides Medical Center, Wyckoff Heights Medical Center and Richmond University Medical Center (Staten Island), reached a tentative agreement through mediation.
NYSNA said hospital management agreed to guarantee and fully fund healthcare benefits for nurses; provide stronger, safe staffing with remedies; protect nurses from workplace violence; protect vulnerable patients; continue pension plans with no cuts; and model Artificial Intelligence language to ensure patients have a nurse at their bedside.
At a Wednesday press briefing, NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said she hopes to reach a final agreement by the end of this week.
"The safety-net hospitals that care for New York City’s most vulnerable patients are doing the right thing by guaranteeing healthcare benefits for nurses and agreeing to stronger safe staffing standards and protections from workplace violence," Hagans said in a statement.
She urged management from the remaining hospitals, which include BronxCare Health System, Flushing Hospital Medical Center, Montefiore Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and Mount Sinai West, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Columbia University Medical Center, to come to the bargaining table.
"New York City’s wealthiest hospitals should follow their lead," she said.
