Registered nurses (RNs) at a dozen private-sector hospitals in New York City represented by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) have voted to authorize a strike over safe staffing, health care benefits, and workplace safety. In 2021, New York State passed a law requiring health care facilities to form safe staffing committees, take input from frontline workers, and maintain a 1-to-2 nurse to patient ratio in intensive care units, but enforcement has been lacking. Management’s inaction is unacceptable, especially during flu season and in the face of federal budget cuts and rising healthcare costs.
About 20,000 nurses may go on strike on January 12th, unless management agrees to their demands for safe staffing, health care benefits for all nurses, and safety protections. Over 1,000 NYSNA nurses in the Northwell Health system on Long Island also have authorized a strike for a fair contract that protects patient care. Choosing to go on strike is never an easy decision, so if the nurses do strike, we will be there to support our sisters and brothers in NYSNA.
