From just two hospitals, Mount Sinai Hospital in Harlemmore and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, more than 7000 nurses have gone on strike in New York this Monday. The staff shortage is the main reason, as per NYSNA (New Your State Nurse Association). They say they cannot care for the patients due to the staff shortage.
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Nurses also blame that due to a staff shortage, they have to overwork, and that too under in unfair wages. NYSNA leaders have stated that the offer of a 19% hike would not be enough to solve the issue of the shortage of staff. The union, which was standing on the front line and helping in battling with covid-19 the last three years, has also said that now it’s becoming difficult for us to work under these dangerous circumstances with the staff shortage.
Hundreds of supporters and nurses have been in picket lines in front of both hospitals in the morning this Monday. The number of protesters is still growing, chanting, “Safe Staffing saves lives.” Car Drivers and other supporters who passed through the protest also showed their support by honking horns – To encourage the nurses and give their support to the nurses.
Warren Urquhart, a transplant nurse at Mount Sinai, told CNN in an interview that we have been fighting for the work under safe conditions. We are doing our best which we can do to serve the patients, but now there is something not right in the hospital, and that’s the reason why we are on the roads and asking for what we deserve.
Both hospitals have said that the agreement was unsuccessful as the NYSNA leaders walked out from the agreement, saying that an offer of a 19% hike would not be the solution for staff shortage.
Montefiore stated, “A Sorrowful Day for New York City.”
The medical center said in a statement, “Although Montefiore’s offer of a 19% compounded wage increase — which is the wealthiest offer of our peer institutions — and a commitment to creating over 170 new nursing positions … NYSNA’s leadership has decided to walk away from the bedsides of their patients,”
Reason Behind This Strike In New York
As per the NYSNA, a major complaint is with these two hospitals, Mount Sinai and Montefiore. Where the nurses have to overworked for the last 3 years, there are a lot of patients, and the current staff cannot handle all of them at once. So they are bursting out and unable to give 100% to their patient’s health care.
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The Union has stated that Montefiore currently has 760 vacancies. Due to the staff shortage, one nurse has to take care of 20 patients on average in the emergency ward, which is far more than the standard of 3 patients for 1 nurse.
Counter By Mount Sinai on this Strike in New York
On Sunday, New York official Kathy Hochu urged the hospitals and the NYSNA to get an arbitration to avoid this strike in New York. Hospital has embraced this idea, but the union has rejected it and said they wouldn’t give up until they got a solution to the shortage of nurses for their patients.
Mount Sania has countered and said this is not what nurses should do. They should do what they are best off doing. They should serve the patients who are asking for the assistance of the nurses, but besides this, NYSNA is on the road to a strike. Their primary duty should be the safety of their patients.
How Long will the Strike In New York last?
There is still no clarity on how long this strike in New York will last as negotiations are still on the board. The union has said that they will not close the strike until they get a proper solution for the staff and hospital environment, but the management is asking them to return to work and serve their patients with some offers.
The strike related to hospitals or health workers has taken place a lot of time since the last 3 years in New York and lasted for around 24 hours to 300 days.
What do you think about how long this strike in new york will last?
Conclusion: So, what do you think about whether the nurses are doing right with this strike? And how can the management solve their issues? What are your thoughts on this Strike in New York By Nurses? Please let us know through the comment section.
