New York nurses end three-day strike after reaching deal with hospitals

By Betul Yuruk

NEW YORK (AA) - More than 7,000 nurses at two of New York City’s biggest hospitals ended a three-day strike Thursday after the hospitals agreed to address a staffing shortage and improve working conditions.

The New York State Nurses Association said that ''tentative'' deals were reached with both Mount Sinai Hospital in Manhattan and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx.

The union said that nurses won ''concrete enforceable safe staffing ratios.''

Montefiore also agreed to give a 19% pay hike over three years, in addition to adding more nurses in the emergency rooms.

Mount Sinai said it was a ''fair and responsible'' agreement.

The two hospitals went without nursing staff on Monday as over 7,000 nurses went on strike due to staffing shortages, unsafe working conditions and low pay.

The walkout disrupted patient care, with the hospitals postponing non-emergency surgeries and telling many ambulances to go elsewhere.