Nurses at a number of New York City's private hospitals are set to go on strike next month, a move that could turn the current "tridemic" into a full-blown crisis.
Hospital sources tell News 4 that the nurses union has notified management at eight hospitals of their intention to strike in 10 days, starting Jan. 9. The move follows a ballot box vote to authorize a strike ahead of their contracts expiring on Dec. 31.
Although negotiating is expected to be ongoing, discussions were scheduled to wrap Friday around 5 p.m. and the union said a more comprehensive report would come Saturday. Contracts expire at midnight.
Nurses at eight hospitals, NewYork-Presbyterian, Montefiore, Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and West, Maimonides, BronxCare, Richmond University Medical Center and Flushing Hospital Medical Center, gave strike notices to management on Friday.
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The New York State Nurses Association has at least 16,000 members between the striking hospital staffs ready to strike. The union says members are upset about staffing ratios at the local hospitals, contract proposals that they feel dramatically worsen their healthcare benefits, and Mayor Eric Adams' recent move to forcibly hospitalize psychiatric patients.
"The 10-day notices give hospitals time to plan care for patients while nurses are on strike. But the best way for management to protect patients is to listen to nurses and settle fair contracts that protect patient care in the next 10 days," the NYSNA said in a statement.
Previously, Mt. Sinai Hospital said that while negotiations "may be noisy and bumpy at times," they are "committed to negotiating in good faith at all times to ensure fairness and fiscal responsibility" and they are "confident" an agreement will be reached.
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Gov. Kathy Hochul's office has said they are "monitoring the situation."
All of this comes as the city deals with what is being called a tridemic - simultaneous and serious spikes in infections with COVID, the flu and the respiratory condition RSV.
The city has already issued an advisory (but not a mandate) suggesting that people go back to wearing masks indoors.
