NYC Nurses’ Strike Enters Eighth Day as Talks Remain Stuck
New York City’s ongoing nurses’ strike has reached its eighth day, with nearly 15,000 nurses continuing to stay off the job as contract negotiations remain stalled. The strike began last Monday and includes nurses from major private hospital systems such as NewYork-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai, and Montefiore.
Striking nurses are demanding higher wages, increased staffing to better manage patient care, fully funded benefits, and stronger protections against workplace violence. As tensions rise between the hospitals and their employees, both sides have yet to reach an agreement, leaving the dispute unresolved as it enters a second week.
Despite snow and cold conditions over the weekend, nurses remained on the picket lines, chanting together and urging hospital leaders to meet their demands. On Monday, nurses planned additional public actions, including hosting free community health screenings at the George Washington Carver Houses from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., marking Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton was also expected to join the picket line at Mount Sinai Morningside later in the afternoon. Other strike locations planned family-focused events, encouraging relatives and community supporters to participate in the demonstrations.
Hospitals affected by the strike have said they remain open and continue operating with the help of traveling nurses brought in to cover staffing gaps. However, it remains uncertain how long the hospitals can sustain operations under these conditions if negotiations do not progress soon.
