Nurses at three Northwell hospitals vote to authorize strike
Nurses say they are fighting for staffing, benefits and a plan to recruit and retain bedside nurses.
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More than 1,000 nurses at Northwell Health’s Huntington, Plainview and Syosset hospitals have voted to authorize a strike if a new contract is not reached by Dec. 31.
Nurses with the New York State Nurses Association say they are fighting for safe staffing, healthcare benefits and a plan to recruit and retain bedside nurses. They warn that proposed staffing ratios could leave emergency room nurses caring for up to 12 patients at once, which they call unsafe.
“Our patients come in sicker, and we are expected to do more with less,” Chris Coburn, a registered nurse at Plainview Hospital, said in an NYSNA statement Tuesday.
The union has criticized Northwell for prioritizing executive pay and expansion over patient care, noting that top executives earned $36.7 million in 2023.
NYSNA president Nancy Hagans said striking is a last resort but nurses are prepared to act if necessary.
“We will do whatever it takes to protect our patients,” she said in a statement.
Northwell Health officials said they are "engaged in ongoing, constructive negotiations with NYSNA."
"Our focus remains on reaching a fair and responsible agreement that supports our nurses and ensures the continuity of high-quality, compassionate care our patients rely on,” a Northwell Health spokesperson said in a statement Tuesday.
The vote comes as 20,000 NYSNA nurses at 12 NYC hospitals announced Monday they also voted to authorize a strike if a contract is not reached by Dec. 31.
