Citywide Nurses Strike Continues With High-Profile Support Joining on the Picket Line

By Y.M. Lowy

New York City’s nurses strike continued into its second week, and anyone who uses major city hospitals is still being advised to check ahead before appointments. 

The strike, now in its ninth day, involves nearly 15,000 nurses from hospitals operated by Mount Sinai, Montefiore Medical Center, and NewYork-Presbyterian. Many local residents rely on these hospitals for specialty care, tests, and scheduled procedures.

Today morning, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders and Mayor Zohran Mamdani joined nurses on the picket line outside Mount Sinai West in Manhattan. Yesterday, community and labor leaders, including Rev. Al Sharpton, also appeared at the picket lines outside Mount Sinai Morningside, voicing support for the nurses and their demands.

Nurses are pushing for safer staffing levels, better workplace safety, and fair contracts. Hospital systems say the demands would significantly increase costs and warn that a deal does not appear close.

Hospitals report that contingency plans remain in place, including temporary staffing and rescheduling some non-emergency care, as the strike continues with no new negotiation dates announced.