XPost: alt.society.labor-unions, nyc.politics, alt.politics.soci   
   lism.democratic   
   XPost: sac.politics, alt.fan.rush-limbaugh   
   From: noreply@mixmin.net   
      
   The largest nurses' strike in New York City history began Monday morning   
   after the nurses' union and hospitals officials failed to reach a   
   tentative settlement.   
      
   Nearly 15,000 nurses at Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai Morningside and West,   
   Montefiore and NewYork-Presbyterian walked of the job, according to the   
   New York State Nursing Association (NYSNA), the union representing the   
   nurses.   
      
   "Unfortunately, greedy hospital executives have decided to put profits   
   above safe patient care and force nurses out on strike when we would   
   rather be at the bedsides of our patients," Nancy Hagans, NYSNA's   
   president, said in a statement early Monday. "Hospital management   
   refuses to address our most important issues -- patient and nurse   
   safety."   
      
   Strike lines began at 6 a.m. ET on Monday at Mount Sinai, with 7 a.m. ET   
   lines forming at Montefiore Bronx locations and NewYork-Presbyterian   
   locations, according to NYSNA.   
      
   "Unfortunately, NYSNA decided to move forward with its strike while   
   refusing to move on from its extreme economic demands, which we cannot   
   agree to, but we are ready with 1,400 qualified and specialized nurses   
   -- and prepared to continue to provide safe patient care for as long as   
   this strike lasts," a Mount Sinai spokesperson said in a statement.   
      
   Mount Sinai said many of the nurses had already been integrated into   
   units across their hospitals. The health system added that all hospitals   
   and emergency departments will remain open, and most appointments are   
   expected to proceed as originally scheduled.   
      
   In a letter to employees, Mount Sinai said its Clinical Command Center   
   was helping hospitals determine which patients can be safely discharged,   
   as well transferring patients between hospitals and rescheduling   
   appointments, an employee with knowledge of the matter told ABC News.   
      
   The letter also stated that officials had discussed with the NYSNA the   
   financial pressures facing health care and that Mount Sinai has a fixed   
   budget that could be used for pay increases and benefits or to operate   
   amidst a strike, according to the employee.   
      
   The NYSNA said it is calling for an agreement that includes pay hikes,   
   improving safe staffing levels, full health care coverage and pensions,   
   and workplace protections against violence. The union further said   
   hospitals have threatened to cut health care benefits for frontline   
   nurses and to roll back safe staffing standards that were won by nurses   
   in a strike two years ago.   
      
   New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Friday in   
   anticipation of a possible strike and appealed to the hospitals and   
   nurses' union to hammer out a last-minute deal, saying that a strike   
   "could jeopardize the lives of thousands of New Yorkers and patients."   
      
   "I'm strongly encouraging everyone to stay at the table, both sides,   
   management and the nurses, until this is resolved," Hochul said.   
      
   Several New York politicians, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, have come   
   out in support of the striking nurses. Mamdani on Monday called their   
   fight a battle for dignity, fairness and the future of the city's health   
   care system and who benefits from it.   
      
   "There is no shortage of wealth in the health care industry," Mamdani   
   said. "The CEO of Montefiore made more than $16 million last year. The   
   CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian made $26 million. But too many nurses can't   
   make ends meet."   
      
   https://abcnews.go.com/US/largest-nursing-strike-new-york-city-history-lo   
   oming/story?id=129100789   
      
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