By Tian Jingxin
New York City’s unprecedented nurses’ strike resumed negotiations and picketing activities on Tuesday, Jan. 27. The New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced that labor talks with major hospital systems restarted after being suspended for two days due to heavy snowfall, with both sides continuing discussions over contract terms.
As of Jan. 27, the strike had entered its third week. The union said it had reached a tentative agreement with hospital systems including Mount Sinai and NewYork-Presbyterian to preserve the existing nurses’ health insurance plan (Plan A) without cuts. The union described the agreement as a “major breakthrough” in the current round of negotiations, as it had previously been concerned that hospitals might reduce nurses’ existing health benefits.
However, this progress has not brought the strike to an end. The union emphasized that key issues—such as safe staffing ratios, workplace violence protections, and wage increases—have yet to be fully resolved. As a result, the union announced that nurses would continue picketing outside hospitals on Tuesday while maintaining their negotiating demands.
Both the New York City and New York State governments are closely monitoring the strike’s impact on the healthcare system. The governor has announced an extension of the state of emergency to ensure that medical institutions can respond to staffing shortages through temporary resource reallocations and maintain essential services. Hospital representatives said that while progress has been made on preserving benefits, they still hope to reach a final agreement on staffing, safety measures, and compensation within financially sustainable limits.
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During the strike, hospital systems have continued to rely on temporary contract nurses and out-of-state nurses to maintain emergency and core care services. To date, the number of striking nurses remains close to 15,000, spanning multiple departments at several major private hospitals across New York City. This is one of the largest nurses’ strikes in the city in recent years.
The union stated that as long as core disagreements remain unresolved, nurses will continue picketing and negotiations while awaiting a final contract proposal from hospital management. Further talks and possible additional actions are expected to continue later this week.
