Full Breakdown
NewYork-Presbyterian Nurses Reach Tentative Agreement to End Historic Strike
2/20/2026, 9:54:58 PM
Overview of the Strike
After more than a month of striking, approximately 4,200 nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital have reached a tentative agreement with the hospital's management, marking the longest nursing strike in New York City history. The strike, which began on January 12, 2026, was part of a larger walkout involving nearly 15,000 nurses from three major hospital systems: NewYork-Presbyterian, Montefiore Medical Center, and Mount Sinai Health System. While nurses at Montefiore and Mount Sinai ratified their contracts earlier in February, those at NewYork-Presbyterian remained on strike due to dissatisfaction with initial proposals.
Key Provisions of the Tentative Agreement
The tentative contract includes several significant provisions aimed at improving working conditions for nurses. Key elements of the agreement are:
- Salary increases exceeding 12% over three years.
- Improved and enforceable safe staffing standards.
- Protections against workplace violence, particularly for vulnerable populations such as immigrant patients and nurses.
- Maintenance of health benefits without additional out-of-pocket costs.
These provisions were critical for the nurses, who previously rejected a contract that lacked adequate protections against layoffs and workplace violence.
Official Statements
Angela Karafazli, a spokesperson for NewYork-Presbyterian, expressed satisfaction with the tentative agreement, stating, “We are pleased to have reached a tentative settlement with NYSNA, through the mediator, that reflects our tremendous respect for our nurses.” Nancy Hagans, president of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), emphasized the nurses' determination, saying, “For a month and a half, through some of the harshest weather this city has seen in years, nurses at NYP showed this city that they won’t make any compromises to patient care.”
Criticism & Opposition
Despite the agreement, the negotiations were contentious. Hospitals criticized the union's demands as unreasonable, while nurses argued that hospital executives earn exorbitant salaries while imposing unmanageable workloads on staff. An arbitrator recently awarded nearly $400,000 to some nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian’s Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital for working under short-staffed conditions, underscoring the issues that led to the strike.
What's Next
The tentative agreement is subject to ratification by NYSNA members, with voting scheduled to begin on Friday and conclude on Saturday. If ratified, nurses could return to work as early as next week, ending a strike that has drawn significant attention to the challenges faced by healthcare workers in New York City.
Verbatim Quotes
- “For a month and a half, through some of the harshest weather this city has seen in years, nurses at NYP showed this city that they won’t make any compromises to patient care.” — Nancy Hagans, President, NYSNA
- “We are pleased to have reached a tentative settlement with NYSNA, through the mediator, that reflects our tremendous respect for our nurses” — Angela Karafazli, Spokesperson, NewYork-Presbyterian
