By Joseph Ax
NEW YORK, Feb 20 (Reuters) – The last remaining group of striking nurses in New York City has reached a tentative agreement with their hospital, the nurses’ labor union said on Friday, potentially ending what the union called the largest work stoppage for nurses in city history after six weeks.
Approximately 4,200 nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian will vote this weekend on a new contract that would increase salaries by more than 12% over three years, protect health benefits and provide new safeguards for the use of artificial intelligence, according to the New York State Nurses Association.
The strike began on January 12, when 15,000 nurses at three major health systems walked out, seeking better pay and safer working conditions. The work stoppage caused staffing shortages and prompted New York Governor Kathy Hochul to declare a state of emergency to allow out-of-state and foreign workers to cover for striking nurses.
Two-thirds of the nurses returned to work on February 14 after reaching agreements with Montefiore and Mount Sinai hospitals.
“For a month-and-a-half, through some of the harshest weather this city has seen in years, nurses at NYP showed this city that they won’t make any compromises to patient care,” Nancy Hagans, the union president, said in announcing the NewYork-Presbyterian deal.
In a statement, a NewYork-Presbyterian spokesperson, Angela Karafazli, said, “We are pleased to have reached a tentative settlement with NYSNA, through the mediator, that reflects our tremendous respect for our nurses.”
(Reporting by Joseph Ax; Editing by Alex Richardson)
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