Thousands of nurses go on strike at several major NYC hospitals

New York: Thousands of nurses in three hospital systems in New York City went on strike Monday after negotiations through the weekend failed to yield breakthroughs in their contract disputes. Nurses were to start walking off the job at 6 am at The Mount Sinai Hospital and two of its satellite campuses.

The other affected hospitals are NewYork-Presbyterian and Montefiore Medical Centre in the Bronx. About 15,000 nurses are involved in the strike, according to the New York State Nurses Association.

The strike, which comes during a severe flu season, could potentially force the hospitals to transfer patients, cancel procedures or

divert ambulances. It could also put a strain on city hospitals not involved in the contract dispute, as patients avoid the medical centres hit by the strike.

The hospitals involved have been hiring temporary nurses to try to fill the labour gap during the walkout, and said in a statement during negotiations that they would “do whatever is necessary to minimise disruptions.”

Montefiore posted a message assuring patients that appointments would be kept.

The work stoppage is occurring at multiple hospitals simultaneously, but each medical centre is negotiating with the union independently. Several other hospitals across the city and in its suburbs reached deals in recent days to avert a possible strike.

The nurses’ demands vary by hospital, but the major issues include staffing levels and workplace safety.

Nurses also want better security measures in the workplace, citing incidents like an incident last week, when a man with a sharp object barricaded himself in a Brooklyn hospital room and was then killed by police.

The union also wants limitations on hospitals’ use of artificial intelligence. The nonprofit hospitals involved in the negotiations say they’ve been working to improve staffing levels, but say the union’s demands

overall are too costly.