NEW YORK (AP) — Nurses in New York City have restarted contract talks with one of the major hospital systems involved in a strike that has entered its fifth day. The New York State Nurses Association reported that its bargaining team began discussions with representatives from the Mount Sinai hospitals Friday morning, following a request from a mediator.
On Thursday night, the union also met with officials from NewYork-Presbyterian and a federal mediator in their first negotiations since about 15,000 nurses walked off the job on Monday. However, both sides acknowledged that little progress was made during the lengthy discussions.
The hospitals state that the conversations largely revolved around staffing concerns and assert that the union's proposals are perceived as unreasonable. In contrast, the union claims that their updated proposals were rejected without a counter-offer and indicated that the talks extended beyond midnight, with around 70 nurses observing the proceedings after they were re-opened to union members.
Currently, no further negotiations are scheduled. The NewYork-Presbyterian hospital reaffirmed its commitment to safe staffing arrangements, claiming to have the best staffing ratios in the city.
The Montifiore hospital group, another major system impacted by the strike, has not resumed negotiations with the union. Although the nurses’ union had anticipated meeting with the Bronx-based healthcare provider, the hospital clarified that no such meeting was ever planned.
NYSNA nurses respect the mediators and are ready to bargain when called upon, said Nancy Hagans, president of the nurses’ union. Meanwhile, hospitals have been able to keep operations running by hiring temporary nurse staffing amidst the ongoing strike.
Dr. Philip Ozuah of Montefiore Einstein expressed gratitude towards the employees who continued to work amid the disruptions, describing their efforts as essential to the ongoing healthcare mission in the city.
