Archive · 12 Jan 2026
15,000 Nurses Strike NYC Hospitals Over Pay and Safety
A lot of nurses in New York City are on strike.
Almost 15,000 nurses from three big hospitals are not working because they want more money and safer places to work.
Their old work agreement ended at the end of December, and they couldn't make a new one.
This is happening during flu season, which makes it a big problem.
The mayor and the governor are worried because people might not get the care they need.
The hospitals are trying to find temporary nurses to help, but it's still causing a lot of trouble.
Nearly 15,000 nurses from Mount Sinai, New York-Presbyterian, and Montefiore Medical Center went on strike on Monday, January 12, 2026.
The strike is one of the largest in New York City's history and is driven by demands for higher pay and safer working conditions.
The nurses' contract expired on December 31, 2025, and no agreement was reached before the strike began.
The strike is occurring during flu season, potentially straining other hospitals and disrupting patient care.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul have expressed concerns, with the governor declaring a state of emergency.
- Who
- 15,000 nurses from three hospital systems in New York City
- What
- A strike over higher pay and safer working conditions
- When
- Began on Monday, January 12, 2026
- Where
- New York City, at Mount Sinai, New York-Presbyterian, and Montefiore Medical Center
- Why
- No agreement was reached in contract disputes, and nurses are demanding better pay and working conditions
- Number of Nurses on Strike
- 15,000
- Hospitals Affected
- Mount Sinai, New York-Presbyterian, Montefiore Medical Center
- Contract Expiration Date
- December 31, 2025
- Mayor's Statement
- No New Yorker should have to fear losing access to health care
- Governor's Action
- Declared a state of emergency
- Potential Impacts
- Patient transfers, canceled procedures, redirected ambulances
