Nurses, Hospitals Come To Tentative Agreement After Strike Threat

NEW YORK, NY — A union representing nurses at three major New York City hospital systems has come to a tentative agreement with hospital executives that requires the hiring of more than 1,450 new nurses following demands for safer staff to patient ratios, union representatives announced Tuesday.

The New York State Nurses Association and executives from Montefiore, NewYork-Presbyterian and St. Luke's hospital came to an agreement Tuesday on a four-year contract for more than 10,000 union nurses at the three hospital systems, union representatives said.

Hospitals agreed to invest more than $100 million in safer staffing rations by hiring more than 1,450 nurses to fill vacancies and newly-created, full-time nursing positions at the hospitals, which are located in Upper Manhattan and the Bronx.

"Registered nurse staffing will be based on safe staffing ratios that will be included in the collective bargaining agreements and enforced by an independent neutral party," the union announced in a press release.

The agreement also calls for 3 percent wage increases across the board for each year of the new contract and millions of dollars allocated to retirement benefits, tuition reimbursement and other benefits, union representatives said.

Members of the New York State Nurses Association will vote on the agreement.

The deal comes after nurses at the three hospital systems threatened to strike in March due to more than 30 fruitless negotiation sessions with hospital executives. Following the threat, union negotiators and hospital executives made a breakthrough, causing the union to postpone its April 2 strike date.

Union representatives said in March that New York City's hospitals are in the midst of a "staffing crisis" with some nurses responsible for caring for as many as 19 patients at once.

Legislation is currently being considered by the State Assembly and State Senate that would set mandatory nurse to patient ratios at hospitals in New York state. The legislation, known as the "Safe Staffing for Quality Care Act" would allow no more than six patients per nurse in certain areas of the hospital and require stricter ratios such as one patient per nurse in areas such as operating rooms and trauma emergency facilities.