Thousands Of Nurses Protest In New York

NEW YORK—Fifteen thousand (15,000) nurses protested in the streets of New York City, including more than 100 Filipino nurses, on a cold Monday morning, 12 January 2026, demanding better working conditions.

In show of support to the nurses, Mayor Zohran Mamdami, just two weeks into his term, joined the picket lines.

This is the largest nurse strike in NYC history, wherein nurses walked out from work in 10 major private hospitals across the city including Mount Sinai Hospital, Mount Sinai Morningside and West, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Montefiore Medical Centers from Jack Weiler Campus, Moses, and Hutchinson Medical Center.

The nurses of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) stand up for a fair contract that protects patients and nurses; safe staffing for patients, workplace violence protections, and healthcare benefits for nurses.

However, the NYSNA and management failed to reach an agreement in their negotiations after months of bargaining.

According to a Reuters report, Mount Sinai said that the union's proposals would cost it $1.6 billion over three years, with $638 million increase in nursing costs by the third year, which is 74% more than current costs.

New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul had declared a disaster emergency last week, allowing out-of-state and foreign medical personnel to cover for striking staff. The disaster emergency is in effect until 08 February.

Meanwhile, strike lines continue from 7am to 7pm daily until management agrees to NYSNA's demands.