NYC Nurses Launch Largest Strike in City History

Key TakeawaysNearly 15,000 New York City nurses began the city’s largest nurses strike everNurses point to staffing shortages, benefits and safety concernsState officials are monitoring hospitals to protect patient care.TUESDAY, Jan. 13, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Thousands of nurses at several major New York City hospitals walked off the job Monday, marking the largest nurses' strike the city has ever seen.The strike affects five major hospitals: Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside, Mount Sinai West, Montefiore Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined nurses on the picket line outside NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia, voicing support for their demands, The Wall Street Journal reported.“They show up and all they are asking for in return is dignity and respect and the fair pay and treatment that they deserve,” Mamdani said. “They should settle for nothing less.”The walkout follows stalled contract talks between hospitals and the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA).Union leaders say hospital executives have failed to address their most urgent concerns, such as patient safety and basic nurse protections.“Hospital management refuses to address our most important issues: patient and nurse safety,” Nancy Hagans, president of NYSNA, said.“It is shameful that the city’s richest hospitals refuse to continue health care benefits for frontline nurses, refuse to staff safely for our patients, and refuse to protect us from workplace violence,” she added.Hospital leaders say they are prepared to continue operating during the strike.Mount Sinai said it has staffing plans in place but blamed the strike on what it called “extreme economic demands” from the union.A Montefiore spokesperson offered a similar assessment.“NYSNA’s leaders continue to double down on their $3.6 billion in reckless demands, including nearly 40% wage increases, and their troubling proposals like demanding that a nurse not be terminated if found to be compromised by drugs or alcohol while on the job," the spokesperson said.Montefiore said it has already proposed keeping current health care benefits and has rolled out safety measures such as wearable panic badges and other security upgrades.NewYork-Presbyterian said it has offered “significant wage increases” and improved benefits, adding that it remains focused on patient care during the strike.Over the weekend, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order requiring state health officials to be on-site at the affected hospitals to ensure patient care continues. Hochul urged both sides to reach an agreement quickly.The strike comes as other hospitals have avoided similar action. Nurses at three Northwell Health hospitals on Long Island reached tentative agreements last week, and eight safety-net hospitals in New York City have also settled contracts. Safety-net hospitals provide essential care for uninsured, low-income and other vulnerable individuals.The last major nurses strike in New York City happened in 2023, when about 7,000 nurses walked out at Montefiore Bronx and Mount Sinai Hospital.More informationUsnursing.com has more on what happens during a nurse strike.SOURCE: The Wall Street Journal, Jan. 12, 2026.What This Means For YouOfficials say services at a major New York City hospitals will continue, but wait times and staffing may be affected while the strike is ongoing..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

NYC Nurses Launch Largest Strike in City History

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