Over 1,000 nurses at Staten Island University Hospital submit strike notice
NEW YORK -- Nurses at Staten Island University Hospital take a step closer to going on strike.
The 1,300 New York State Nurses Association members at the hospital submitted a strike notice Thursday.
The union says the nurses will go on strike April 2 "unless hospital administrators agree to a fair union contract that keeps enough experienced nurses at the bedside to provide safe patient care."
Their contract expires on March 31. The union says they are calling for safe staffing levels and fair wages.
"They cannot continue to invest in new buildings and their corporate brand at the expense of investing in safe patient care and the nurses who make this hospital run," NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said in a statement.
In response, the hospital said:
"Staten Island University hospital is disappointed in NYSNA's decision to issue a strike notice but as always, our goal is to reach a fair contract. We remain optimistic that an agreement can be reached, and we will continue to bargain in good faith. We are proud of the longstanding excellent care our dedicated nursing team provides and that our patients and community have come to trust. We look forward to ongoing positive and productive negotiations with NYSNA. In the event of a strike, patient care remains our highest priority. Staten Island University Hospital will be fully operational and continue to provide continued, world-class care to our patients."
This strike notice follows several other nurses strikes across the Tri-State Area. Nurses at Robert Wood University Hospital in New Jersey were on strike for nearly four months last year before ratifying a new contract in December.
A possible strike was averted at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Northwell in February.