Nearly 15,000 nurses from New York City’s top hospitals entered their second day striking on Tuesday, in what could be one of the largest labor clashes in the city’s health care industry in decades – and Pittsburgh’s health care workers are showing their support.
The New York State Nursing Association, which is representing the striking nurses, says a strike is necessary for higher wages, more security and to force hospitals to ensure minimum staffing ratios so that nurses aren’t overwhelmed with too many patients, as reported by the New York Times.
“The nurses and professionals of Pennsylvania are proud to support the … NYSNA (the nurses’ union) nurses in New York City in their strike for a contract that respects and protects caregivers and patients,” said Ashley Johnson, a spokeswoman for Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals, in an email statement.
Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals just spearheaded a strike of their own on behalf of nurses, techs and health care professionals at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia.
In September, Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals submitted a 10-day strike notice over staffing, safety and wages, but the strike was averted as a new contract was ratified in October, according to the website.
“We know firsthand how painful it is to be forced to leave the bedside due to profit-driven interests and corporate greed infiltrating our health systems. Patients deserve staffing that will ensure high quality of care and nurses deserve a safe place to care for our patients,” Johnson said.
The strike in New York City is targeting: NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia, Montefiore Medical Center and the main campus of Mount Sinai Hospital, along with two other major hospitals within the Mount Sinai system.
TribLive reported last year that a group of 60 advanced practitioners voted to join hundreds of nurses at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital in unionizing with SEIU Healthcare Pennsylvania
The advanced practitioners included: certified registered nurse practitioners, neonatal nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives and other positions, following about 800 nurses at the Oakland hospital who had taken a similar vote the month prior.
Lucy Rose Ruccio, nurse practitioner in the neonatal intensive care unit at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital and member of SEIU Healthcare PA, said she is “deeply inspired” by the New York nurses’ strike.
“We have less and less time to spend with our patients to make sure we can provide the highest level of care. That’s why doctors, nurses and other health care professionals are forming unions and taking action together at historic rates,” Ruccio said.