A tentatively planned New Year’s strike has been averted by the nurses of Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx.
The nurses, represented by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), successfully negotiated a new four-year contract with Montefiore shortly before the parties broke for New Year’s weekend celebrations. The 2,300 professional registered nurses gave the hospital a strike notice for Jan. 10, but it will now be withdrawn. The contract will provide about 125 new RN positions, salary increases of 7.5 percent over four years, a one-time lump sum payment of $750 on ratification and affordable prescription benefits.
According to the NYSNA, important advances like safer patient staffing, affordable health care and fair wages comparable to their colleagues at other New York City unionized hospitals are all part of the new deal.
“Our members at Montefiore stood together to get a contract that’s good for our patients, our nurses and our families,” said Judy Sheridan-Gonzalez, president of Montefiore’s Moses Division bargaining unit. “The nurses give their very best every day to patients and deserve a contract that treats them and their work with dignity and respect.”
Two months ago, the AmNews covered a nurses protest in front of Montefiore’s building on the south sidewalk of East Gun Hill Road that stretched from Rochambeau Avenue to Bainbridge Avenue. With signs like “Nurses are the first responders” and “Keep your hands off my retirement benefits,” nurses braved the Bronx cold and shouted phrases like, “Bonuses for CEOs-cutbacks for nurses,” and made their voices as loud as possible to workers inside of the hospital who had stepped outside to watch.
The nurses will vote on the proposed contract this month.
