NYC hospital accuses nurses’ union of seeking protections for workers arriving drunk, high as strike begins

As thousands of aesculapian caregivers walked disconnected the occupation Monday successful what became the largest nurses’ onslaught successful New York City history, officials astatine a large infirmary accused the nurses’ national of making unreasonable demands — including protections for nurses who travel to enactment drunk oregon high.

Officials astatine Montefiore Medical Center successful the Bronx told Fox News Digital that demands by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) amusement nurses putting their ain interests up of diligent safety.

"NYSNA leadership’s request that a caregiver not beryllium terminated if recovered to beryllium compromised by drugs oregon intoxicant portion connected the occupation is different illustration of putting their ain self-interest earlier diligent safety," Montefiore Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications Joe Solmonese told Fox News Digital successful a statement.

Montefiore added the national is besides pushing for an exorbitant summation successful pay.

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Nurses from New York-Presbyterian and Columbia University Irving Medical Center onslaught extracurricular the infirmary connected Jan. 12, 2026, successful New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

"As they treble down connected their $3.6 cardinal successful reckless demands, including astir 40% wage increases, we stay resolute successful our committedness to providing harmless and seamless care," Solmonese said. 

NYSNA did not instantly respond to a petition for remark from Fox News Digital. 

On Monday, astir 15,000 nurses represented by the NYSNA went connected onslaught aft months of negotiations failed to nutrient an agreement. The walkout affected respective large aesculapian institutions, including Montefiore, Mount Sinai and NewYork-Presbyterian.

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Protestors march connected the streets astir Montefiore Medical Center during a nursing strike, connected Jan. 11, 2023, successful the Bronx borough of New York.  (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

According to NYSNA, nurses person been demanding improved staffing ratios, amended benefits, just wage and stronger protections against workplace unit — concerns heightened by a caller progressive shooter incidental astatine Mount Sinai Hospital and different convulsive incidental astatine NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. 

The national did not publically disclose its wage proposal, but argued that infirmary executives person been prioritizing firm profits and precocious administrative salaries implicit diligent care. They claimed that the 3 wellness attraction systems progressive collectively held much than $1.6 cardinal successful currency arsenic of September 2025. The national besides noted that CEO compensation astatine these facilities roseate by 54% betwixt 2020 and 2023, with 1 enforcement earning $26.3 cardinal successful 2024 alone.

"Management astatine the richest hospitals successful New York City are threatening to discontinue oregon radically chopped nurses’ wellness benefits," NYSNA said, adding that the cuts would impact 27,000 nurses astatine implicit 50 hospitals successful the state.

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Nurses onslaught extracurricular the Milstein Hospital Building connected Jan. 12, 2026, successful New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans added successful a statement: "Unfortunately, greedy infirmary executives person decided to enactment profits supra harmless diligent attraction and unit nurses retired connected onslaught erstwhile we would alternatively beryllium astatine the bedsides of our patients. Hospital absorption refuses to code our astir important issues—patient and caregiver safety.  It is shameful that the city’s richest hospitals garbage to proceed healthcare benefits for frontline nurses, garbage to unit safely for our patients, and garbage to support america from workplace violence. It is profoundly violative that they would alternatively usage their billions to combat against their ain nurses than settee a just contract. Nurses bash not privation to strike, but our bosses person forced america retired connected strike."  

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Mount Sinai slammed the union’s economical demands arsenic "extreme," informing that they were simply intolerable to meet.

"Unfortunately, NYSNA decided to determination guardant with its onslaught portion refusing to determination connected from its utmost economical demands, which we cannot hold to, but we are acceptable with 1,400 qualified and specialized nurses – and prepared to proceed to supply harmless diligent attraction for arsenic agelong arsenic this onslaught lasts," Mount Sinai said Monday. 

Fox News Digital reached retired to NewYork-Presbyterian for comment.