Officers at a significant New York Metropolis hospital accused the nurses’ union of making an attempt to guard members who come to work drunk or stoned — as 1000’s of medical caregivers went on strike Monday.
The incendiary declare was leveled by Montefiore Medical Middle in The Bronx, which accused the New York State Nurses Affiliation of occurring strike partially as a result of its management opposes more durable disciplinary actions towards inebriated hospital staff.
“NYSNA management’s demand {that a} nurse not be terminated if discovered to be compromised by medication or alcohol whereas on the job is one other instance of placing their very own self-interest earlier than affected person security,” Montefiore mentioned in an announcement offered to The Publish.
The bombshell cost signifies that the strike might go on for weeks, as about 15,000 nurses at three non-public hospital techniques — Mount Sinai, in addition to New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Montefiore — walked off the job.
A picture on Instagram confirmed a bar in Brooklyn — Block Hill Station — providing purchase one, get one free beers to assist strikers preventing “for affected person security and truthful employees advantages.”
“Love this! Free beer!” the put up mentioned, alongside the prayer arms emojis. “All Placing Nurses: Purchase One Get One On Choose Beers.”
Politicians — together with Mayor Zohran Mamdani — additionally expressed solidarity with the placing nurses. The democratic socialist new mayor joined a NYSNA picket line exterior New York-Presbyterian Hospital in Washington Top.
Administration and NYSNA have accused one another of being grasping in disputes over wages, advantages and staffing — with vitriol spewing from each side.
“Sadly, grasping hospital executives have determined to place earnings above protected affected person care and power nurses out on strike once we would relatively be on the bedsides of our sufferers,” NYSNA president Nancy Hagans mentioned in an announcement.
“It’s deeply offensive that they’d relatively use their billions to battle towards their very own nurses than settle a good contract. Nurses don’t wish to strike, however our bosses have compelled us out on strike.”
The union had no speedy response to the declare it opposed the firing of nurses displaying as much as work inebriated or excessive.
Hagans mentioned sufferers who want medical care ought to nonetheless go to the hospitals, emphasizing that this is able to not represent crossing the picket line.
The entire hospitals have emergency contingency plans and have employed nurses by way of contracts to reduce disruptions and proceed affected person care.
“Whereas NYSNA has informed nurses to stroll away from the bedside, we stay centered on our sufferers and their care. This strike is designed to create disruption, however we’ve got taken the required steps so our sufferers proceed to obtain the care they belief us to supply,” NY-Presbyterian mentioned in an announcement.
“We’ve proposed important wage will increase that maintain our nurses among the many highest paid within the metropolis, enhancements to their excellent employer-funded advantages and new measures that replicate our shared dedication to protected staffing and office security. Nonetheless, good religion bargaining requires compromise from each side.”
Mount Sinai, in an announcement early Monday, mentioned, “Sadly, NYSNA determined to maneuver ahead with its strike whereas refusing to maneuver on from its excessive financial calls for, which we can’t comply with, however we’re prepared with 1,400 certified and specialised nurses – and ready to proceed to supply protected affected person care for so long as this strike lasts.”
