New York City is facing the possibility of the largest nurse strike in history if both labor and management fail to reach an agreement. It is anticipated that 20,000 nurses will go on strike starting on January 12, affecting a total of 12 private hospitals across the city.
The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), representing the nurses, has officially issued strike notices to the relevant hospital management. The union has stated that if the strike materializes, it will be the largest nurse strike in the history of New York City.
The hospitals that may be affected include Maimonides Medical Center, Mount Sinai Hospital, and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital CUIMC, among several other major medical centers in the city.
The current nurse contract expired on December 31, 2025. One of the key demands put forth by the union is to improve workplace safety, including the installation of metal detectors at hospital entrances and the increase of security personnel. The union emphasized the risks faced by frontline medical staff as some nurses have been attacked at work, bitten, hit with objects, and even stabbed with sharp instruments.
Another major point of contention is the nurse-to-patient ratio. The union argues that the current patient load per nurse is “simply unreasonable.”
Nurses are also concerned about their own healthcare coverage.
In response to the situation, the Mount Sinai Health System issued a statement emphasizing their sincerity in negotiations but criticized the union for using patients as bargaining chips once again.
The statement pointed out that the union is demanding an average salary increase of up to $100,000 per nurse. Against the backdrop of federal healthcare budget cuts, New York hospitals potentially facing an $8 billion loss, and impacting 35,000 job opportunities, the economic demands could jeopardize the financial stability of the entire healthcare system.
The statement concluded by expressing the hospital’s ongoing efforts to reach an agreement before the strike commences while also preparing for various scenarios to ensure uninterrupted patient care.