NYC Nurses Strike Continues: NY-Presbyterian Rejects Deal, Demands Safety & Staffing

NYC Nurses Strike Continues at NewYork-Presbyterian as Contract Rejected

New York City’s longest nurses’ strike continues at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital (NYP) after nurses overwhelmingly rejected a proposed contract agreement on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. Approximately 4,200 nurses remain on strike, now entering its fifth week, while nurses at Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center have returned to work after ratifying new contracts.

The vote at NYP was decisive, with 3,099 nurses voting against the deal and only 867 in favor. This rejection follows a month-long strike that began on January 12, 2026, as nurses sought stronger protections for staffing levels and job security.

The contracts approved by nurses at Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai Morningside, Mount Sinai West, and Montefiore include provisions for safe staffing standards and salary increases of roughly 4% per year, totaling approximately a 12% raise over three years. The agreements also safeguard benefits and offer protections against the misuse of artificial intelligence.

However, nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed agreement, citing concerns over chronic understaffing and a lack of guarantees against layoffs. Beth Loudin, a neonatal nurse and member of the executive committee of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) at NYP, explained that the hospital had attempted to impose a “bucket of money” approach, offering a lump sum for various proposals rather than engaging in detailed negotiations on specific issues like wages, differentials, healthcare, and pensions.

Loudin stated that the hospital had also attempted to cut healthcare benefits, seeking to enforce cuts outside of the normal trustee-level process. While those healthcare concerns were addressed in the mediator’s proposal, two key issues remained unresolved: staffing ratios and job security.

“They gave us some [staffing increases], but it was not enough to meet what our minimum needs are,” Loudin said. “The second part was job security. If you were aware, last year, New York Presbyterian decided in advance of any of the federal funding cuts that were coming down, they decided to do a 2% layoff across the whole enterprise.”

The hospital had previously implemented layoffs, particularly affecting advanced practice nurses, and the nurses are seeking guarantees to prevent future job losses. Loudin explained that the hospital had a history of replacing nurses with other healthcare workers, and the union wants to prevent this practice.

The mediator’s proposal, while addressing wages, pensions, and healthcare, did not adequately address these concerns, leading the NYSNA committee to recommend a “no” vote. Despite this recommendation, hospital leadership proceeded with a vote on the agreement, a move that drew criticism from some union members.

Following the rejection of the proposal, NYSNA President Nancy Hagen called on the hospital to agree to a fair contract and bring all nurses back to work. A spokesperson for NewYork-Presbyterian expressed disappointment with the vote but stated the hospital was willing to reconsider the rejected proposal.

Nurses at NYP are continuing to picket the hospitals in upper Manhattan, and are seeking support from Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams to facilitate renewed negotiations. Loudin urged Governor Hochul to reconsider executive orders that allow the hospital to hire nurses without New York state licenses, and called on Mayor Adams to intervene and help broker a resolution.

The strike at NewYork-Presbyterian is part of a broader wave of healthcare worker activism, with nurses across the country fighting for improved staffing levels, better working conditions, and increased job security. Loudin emphasized the solidarity between nurses in New York and those on the West Coast, stating, “We hope that this is a wildfire. We hope that this fight gets picked up across the country.”

As of February 16, 2026, no new negotiation dates have been set, and the strike continues.