New York City nurses could strike Monday if no contract deal is reached

Nearly 15,000 nurses at several major New York City hospitals are authorized to strike early Monday if no agreement is reached; union leaders said bargaining had made little progress as of Sunday.

Thousands of nurses at several of New York City's largest private hospitals are preparing for a possible strike that could begin early Monday if contract talks do not produce a deal. The union says nearly 15,000 nurses could walk off the job, which would be the largest nurses strike in the city's history. Hospitals involved include Mount Sinai, Montefiore Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Union leaders cite staffing levels, protections around use of artificial intelligence, and workplace security as central issues in negotiations. Key facts: - The New York State Nurses Association says nearly 15,000 nurses could strike early Monday if no contract is reached. - The hospitals named in reporting include Mount Sinai, Montefiore and NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center. - Major issues in the talks include safe staffing levels, limits on hospital use of artificial intelligence, and workplace security following recent violent incidents at hospitals. - Hospital officials say they have made staffing improvements since 2023 and describe the union’s combined demands as costly. - As of Sunday, the union president said little progress had been made at the bargaining table and most nurses had authorized the strike last month. Summary: The potential strike would affect operations at several major private hospitals and follows a 2023 labor fight that led to patient transfers and ambulance diversions. Negotiations continued over the weekend with no reported resolution; the strike is scheduled to begin early Monday if a deal is not reached, and officials including the state governor urged both sides to remain at the bargaining table.