NEW YORK (Civitas.global) — Nurses in New York City have entered the fifth day of their strike while resuming contract negotiations with two major hospital systems affected by the walkout.
The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced on Friday that it had begun meetings with representatives from the three Mount Sinai hospitals following a mediator's request. This development comes after negotiations were reinitiated with NewYork-Presbyterian hospital officials the previous night, but both sides reported minimal progress toward resolving the strike.
The hospital released a statement claiming the negotiations addressed staffing concerns but labeled the union's proposals as unreasonable. Meanwhile, the NYSNA asserted that their revised proposals were promptly rejected by hospital officials who failed to provide any counter-offer.
Meetings extended past midnight and were later attended by approximately 70 nurses after being opened to union members.
As talks continue, there are no scheduled plans for further discussions. NewYork-Presbyterian maintains that it is committed to patient safety and claims to have the highest staffing ratios within the city.
The union emphasizes its readiness to negotiate in good faith, urging hospital executives to do the same.
The situation remains fluid, with the third major hospital system affected, Montefiore, yet to resume negotiations.
Despite the disruption the strike has caused, hospitals have reported operations running smoothly, employing thousands of temporary nurses to manage emergency rooms and other critical care areas during the strike.
President of Montefiore Einstein, Dr. Philip Ozuah, praised the ongoing efforts of hospital staff amidst emerging challenges.
