New York State Nurses Association seeks 40 percent wage increase over three years

Nurses lead historic strike for higher pay

Striking nurses in New York City are making headlines as they demand a massive pay raise. The New York State Nurses Association is leading this bold fight for the 40 percent increase over the next three years.

This big goal began after months of talking failed to reach a new agreement. They say the wage increase is fair because they work very hard and everything costs more now. About 15,000 nurses walked out of hospitals to show they are serious about this.

Hospital leaders warn of high economic costs

Hospital leaders say the big pay raise would cost way too much money. One hospital system, Montefiore, claims the union’s total demands would cost $3.6 billion over three years.

This amount includes more than just base pay, like extra money for health benefits and safer staffing levels. The hospitals and the union began discussing these issues several months ago.

Even after many meetings, the two sides have not agreed. Montefiore officially called the 40 percent wage demand a reckless economic plan.

Management offers fall short of union goals

Negotiations stalled when hospital executives presented financial offers that the union found unacceptable. Management at Mount Sinai proposed an annual $4,500 increase in compensation per nurse over the next three years.

They claimed this investment would total nearly $50 million over the life of the contract. The union quickly rejected this offer because it was much smaller than the raises they had requested.

Average nurse salaries in New York City

Being a nurse in New York City pays more than in many other places right now. The average base salary for a registered nurse is $56.66 per hour at many extensive facilities.

This does not count the extra money they might earn from working overtime or staying for many years. A brand-new nurse graduating from school can start with a salary of $119,423 at some large city hospitals.

Projected earnings under new union proposals

If the union wins the raise, nurse pay will jump to very high levels by the end of the deal. Mount Sinai officials said that the union’s total economic plan would raise average pay for experienced nurses to $250,000.

Right now, the average nurse at that hospital makes about $162,000 a year before any increases. These numbers show why the hospitals are worried about the high costs of the new contract.

Past contract success at local hospitals

Nursing strikes over pay are not new for the New York State Nurses Association in recent history. Back in 2023, nurses at HealthAlliance Hospital won a contract with a 40 percent increase.

That deal gave them an 8 percent raise in the first year and higher raises in subsequent years. The union uses that victory to argue that nurses should get the same deal now. Nurses at several hospitals voted to strike if they did not get a fair contract.

Healthcare benefit caps for nursing staff

NYSNA members are also fighting to keep their health insurance from costing them more money in the future. In 2025, the benefit fund set the out-of-pocket limit for an individual’s prescriptions at $8,200.

For a whole family, that limit was $16,400 for the entire year. Nurses want hospitals to pay for these costs so they do not have to pay out of pocket. They told city leaders they need better health coverage to stay healthy while working.

High pay for hospital system executives

Political leaders in New York have joined the nurses on the picket lines to demand fair pay. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Senator Bernie Sanders visited the workers and pointed out executive salaries.

He noted that the CEO of Montefiore earned a $16.6 million salary, according to a recent filing. The CEO of New York-Presbyterian earned an even higher wage of $26 million during that same period. The union argues that if hospitals can pay executives that much, they can afford the nurse raises.

Large scale of the nursing workforce

Negotiations have been very slow and challenging for both sides throughout this historic strike. The union represents over 42,000 nurses across New York, who follow these talks closely.

Right now, about 15,000 of those members are participating in the strike at major hospital systems. A special mediator has joined the meetings to help both sides reach an agreement.

Wage agreements at smaller health facilities

Smaller hospitals settled their contracts earlier to avoid the disruptions seen at the larger systems. Nurses at St. Anthony Community Hospital ratified a new deal that included a 29 percent wage increase.

While that is lower than the current demand, it shows that hospitals can agree to significant raises. Earlier this month, management at five safety-net hospitals also agreed to improve safe staffing and pay.

Safety issues and strike authorization votes

Safety is another primary reason nurses are demanding higher pay and better workplace rules. The union says 20,000 nurses were ready to strike across 12 hospitals due to these safety concerns.

Earlier in the year, exactly 14 vocal nurse leaders were disciplined at Mount Sinai for speaking out about violence. If nurses do not feel safe, they want higher pay to make the risk worth it.

Hiring of temporary and agency nurses

The hospitals have hired thousands of temporary workers to keep running while regular staff are striking. Mount Sinai said it prepared 1,400 qualified nurses to work during the walkout to maintain patient care.

These temporary nurses are very expensive and have cost the hospital systems a lot of money. Hospitals collectively spent over $100 million on temporary replacement nurses during the first week of the strike.

Curious about how early labor movements shaped the industry and the lives of immigrant workers in North Carolina? Learn more about the Jewish tobacco workers strike at Duke factory 1884.

Mediation and costs of replacement labor

The strike continues as nurses stand firm on their goal for a fair wage increase. Mount Sinai is currently spending at least $10 million a week to keep travel nurses at the bedside.

Some of these replacement workers are being paid more than $9,000 per week. Both the union and management have agreed to continue daily discussions with the help of federal mediators.

These financial details make clear the high stakes for everyone involved in the contract dispute.

Ever wonder how a single labor dispute could leave a lasting mark on a town’s social fabric for decades? Read the story about the nine-month strike that split Willimantic, Connecticut for 50 years.

How much of a raise do you think is fair for nurses? Drop your comments!

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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