More than 1,000 Filipino nurses join massive hospital strike in New York City

NEW YORK CITY - More than a thousand Filipino nurses were among the estimated 15,000 private hospital nurses from three major hospital systems in New York City who walked off the job on the first day of their strike on Monday.

The walkout followed a deadlock in negotiations over demands for higher compensation and improved healthcare benefits.

Nurses also said hospitals remain understaffed, raising serious concerns about the safety of both healthcare workers and patients.

According to Lorena Vivas, an intensive care unit nurse who has worked at Mount Sinai Hospital for two decades, protecting workers and patients is the primary issue that hospital management must address.

“We are here to protect the safety of patients, so we will not be complicit in their plans. If nurses are outside, people should know that something inside is wrong. Being here means we are actually protecting public safety. We are not to blame for hospitals that systematically understaff and cut benefits. We are here to fight for public safety and for healthcare benefits. In fact, we are on the side of keeping the public safe,” Vicas said.

Meanwhile, Rosalita Feldman, a nurse at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx, said their demands are reasonable and expressed hope that hospital management will respond.

“Our demand is safety for our nurses, which will result in safety for our patients. In some hospitals, nurses and doctors are being attacked, and it’s in the news. We want safety for ourselves, and that will mean safety for our patients. We want safe staffing, and with safe staffing comes patient safety. I’m not worried. We’re not asking for something difficult. We’re asking for our patients and ourselves to be safe at the same time,” Feldman said.

Ten hospitals under NewYork-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai, and Montefiore — where many Filipino nurses —work are currently on strike.

In a message sent by New York Consul General Senen Mangalile to GMA Integrated News, the Philippine Consulate expressed hope that the dispute between the New York State Nurses Association and hospital management will be resolved soon.

“The Consulate is proud of the skill set and work ethic of Filipino nurses working in New York hospitals. We are confident that their employers are similarly aware of the sterling qualities of our nurses. We hope these will be considered as negotiations continue and that an outcome favorable to all concerned will be reached soon,” Mangalile said.

New York State Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency to ensure public health and patient safety.

The declaration stated that “an imminent strike of nursing personnel will cause several hospitals in the state to experience severe staffing shortages, affecting the availability and delivery of care, threatening public health and safety, and the ability to provide critical care.” —KG, GMA Integrated News