One of four metropolitan hospitals facing an impending nurses strike reached a last-minute agreement with the union on Sunday, while a top physician at another facility warned of a “really bad situation” in the event of a walkout.
Mount Sinai Morningside/West nurses reached an agreement with management on Sunday afternoon, while thousands of other nurses planned to go on strike at Mount Sinai’s main campus and Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx at 6 a.m. on Monday.
“This is not beneficial for us or the patients… According to audio acquired by The Post, a Mt. Sinai obstetrics supervisor informed his team at the conclusion of a call on Sunday that they may be forced to deliver families’ babies to Lenox Hill Hospital or NYU Langone.
The chief physician and his staff instructed physicians to begin calling patients to prepare them for the potential of a strike and informed them that they may not be able to attend births at other hospitals if they have not yet received credentials.
Mount Sinai Morningside/West is the most recent hospital to achieve an agreement with its nurses since December 30, when 16,000 members of the New York State Nurses Association authorized a strike and gave impacted hospitals a 10-day deadline to reach a deal.
Mount Sinai administration, who employ 3,628 nurses at their main campus, walked away from negotiations Thursday due to an impasse, but returned to the table Sunday.
Mount Sinai administration, who employ 3,628 nurses at their main campus, walked away from negotiations Thursday due to an impasse, but returned to the table Sunday.
According to union leaders, the enormous medical complex and its competitors are plagued by understaffing and scheduling tactics that have spread nurses thin.
“The number one concern is the staffing crisis,” NYSNA President Nancy Hagans told reporters during negotiations on Sunday morning.
Some obstetricians at Mount Sinai have been instructed to prepare their patients for births at other facilities.
Hagans stated that the emergency room at Montefiore in the Bronx, where the union has 3,476 members, is frequently so congested that patients are admitted to hallway beds rather than hospital rooms.
“We are here to negotiate in good faith so that nurses have sufficient resources to care for patients.”
A Mount Sinai representative lauded the arrangement achieved for Mount Sinai Morningside/West and stated that the “exact wage agreement” had also been given to nurses at the main campus.
“We continue to negotiate in good faith with NYSNA and hope they accept our offer, which would provide an additional $51,000 in cash compensation for each nurse and $19,500 in medical and pension payment benefits over three years,” said spokesperson Lucille Lee in a statement.
“We hope they will rescind their strike notice at The Mount Sinai Hospital as well.”
In a statement released on Sunday, Governor Kathy Hochul said, “The New York State Department of Health will continue to enforce the law’s staffing requirements at these hospitals to ensure the continued delivery of essential health care services to the community and the protection of patient health and safety.”
Similarly, the Health Department will continue to guarantee that all providers comply with legal standards.
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