The union representing 15,000 striking city nurses will meet with officials from three major hospital systems Monday to try to finally end the longest Big Apple nursing walkout in history.
Both sides — the New York State Nurse Association and reps from Presbyterian, Mt. Sinai and Montefiore hospitals — said they have issued revised proposals in a bid to stop the bitter 22-day standoff.
“We streamlined and revised our proposals in an effort to bring hospital executives back to the table to negotiate in good faith and settle fair contracts as quickly as possible that get nurses back to work to care for New York City,” NYSNA said in a statement Saturday.
The three hospital systems issued a joint statement suggesting progress.
“We made a fair, reasonable, and responsible economic proposal that provides annual wage increases and continues generous healthcare and pension benefits, under an economic structure that works for all of the parties and the safety-net hospitals that are tied to our economic terms,” the hospital reps said.
“We are now assessing the rest of the union’s proposals so that we can respond with a comprehensive settlement offer in order to end the strike and bring our nurses back.”
The parties have been battling over salary increases and benefits, staffing levels and safety measures.
Hospital executives had complained that NYSNA was requesting exorbitant salary hikes over three years while medical facilities are facing cutbacks in federal funding.
The union for its part said it was concerned with “safe staffing levels,” preventing workplace violence and “increased wages to help recruit and retain experienced nurses at the bedside.
“NYSNA nurses are serious about settling fair contracts and getting back to work delivering the quality care all New Yorkers deserve,” the union said. “Now hospitals need to get serious at the bargaining table, end this strike, settle fair contracts that immediately and unconditionally bring back the nurses who are committed to care for our communities, and finally show that they respect New York City’s frontline nurse heroes and our patients.”
The nurses makes an average of $160,000 a year.
But the union complained that executives at the not-for-profit hospitals are meanwhile raking in outrageous multimillion-dollar compensation packages.
The hospitals also have paid an estimated $100 million on out-of-state travel nurses and other resources to help keep the facilities open and maintain patient care during the strike, according to the Greater New York Hospital Association.
NYSNA initially requested raises of 30% over 3 years, which hospital executives rejected as outrageous.
The union recently asked for smaller, 18% wage increases for nurses on strike at three Mount Sinai hospitals — 7% in the first year, 6% the following year and 5% in the third and final year, officials said.
A possible path toward a settlement might be found on Long Island.
Northwell’s Plainview, Syosset and Huntington hospital nurses signed tentative agreements last month on new contracts that included 5% annual increases over three years and maintained good benefits and bolstered safety standards.
The striking city nurses have been buffeted from strong political support on the picket lines, including visits from lefties Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
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