Describing himself as a “strong supporter of nurses,” Mayor Eric Adams on Monday urged hospital officers to attain a “fair” settlement with the greater than 7,000 nurses who’re on the primary day of a strike at hospital facilities run by Mount Sinai and Montefiore.
The mayor’s remarks on WBLS have been his most in depth but on the continued strike which started Monday morning. Adams stated he thought it was “crucial” that hospital administration have been honest to nurses and given the “the services and the protection that they deserve.”
The strike is affecting two main New York Metropolis hospital methods: Mount Sinai’s important hospital in East Harlem and several other campuses falling beneath Montefiore Well being System within the Bronx. Each walkouts might end in disruptions for sufferers and place further stress on surrounding hospitals. The strike has already compelled each hospitals to postpone elective procedures in addition to discharging sufferers forward of the anticipated strike.
“Let’s be clear,” Adams — who had been endorsed by the nurses’ union finishing up the strike — continued. “Our nurses were on the front line during COVID. Many of them jeopardized their own physical safety.”
He added, “and we need to remember that and make sure we are fair with them during this contract period.”
Town has responded by making ready to redirect any sufferers from the 2 hospitals to different close by medical facilities. By Monday night, it was not clear what number of sufferers had redirected due to the strike.
Earlier within the day, Metropolis Comptroller Brad Lander additionally expressed sympathy with the nurses.
“Proud to stand in solidarity with the nurses of Mt. Sinai and Montefiore calling for fairer treatment, for patients and nurses,” Lander stated in a tweet.
Gov. Kathy Hochul has urged each side to transfer towards binding arbitration. However union representatives for the New York State Nurses Affiliation, which represents the nurses at each hospitals, rejected that proposal.