In New York City, approximately 15,000 registered nurses represented by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) initiated a strike in early January after contract negotiations with major hospital systems—including Montefiore, Mount Sinai, and NewYork-Presbyterian—reached an impasse. Nurses walked picket lines outside several private nonprofit hospitals to protest what they described as unsafe staffing ratios, inadequate workplace safety protections, and compensation packages that lag behind the rising cost of living and workplace demands. The work stoppage, one of the most significant in the city’s recent history, persisted for nearly a month amidst winter weather and challenging negotiations.
After weeks of bargaining, tentative agreements have now been reached with two of the three hospital systems. Contracts at Montefiore and Mount Sinai include provisions for a 12 % pay increase over three years, preserved health benefits with no increased out-of-pocket costs, enhanced workplace violence protections, and improved staffing commitments. Union members will vote on these agreements, and if ratified, nurses are expected to return to work later this week. Negotiations remain unresolved with NewYork-Presbyterian, where striking continues amid ongoing concern over staffing levels and job security.
In California (and Hawaii), a separate and concurrent labor action involves thousands of health care workers at Kaiser Permanente facilities. Beginning January 26, over 31,000 nurses and allied health professionals — members of the United Nurses Associations of California/Union of Health Care Professionals (UNAC/UHCP) — walked off the job, citing unsafe staffing conditions, wage concerns, and employer practices that they consider unfair. The strike has affected dozens of hospitals, medical centers, and clinics, leading to disruptions such as postponed routine appointments and lab closures in certain regions.
The Kaiser strike has expanded, with additional pharmacy and laboratory workers joining in unfair labor practice walkouts in Southern California; this broadening of labor action signals escalating tensions and solidarity across health care job classifications. Kaiser has advised patients to reschedule non-urgent care and make use of alternative service options such as mail-order prescriptions as the system attempts to maintain essential operations.
Both the New York and California labor disputes underscore persistent challenges in U.S. health care: workforce shortages, unmet staffing benchmarks, compensation pressures, and concern for workplace safety. Union leaders contend that sustained staffing improvements and equitable contract terms are necessary to ensure high-quality patient care and nurse retention, while health systems emphasize operational continuity and financial constraints. These strikes have drawn national attention to the pressures facing frontline nurses and the ongoing need for negotiated solutions within the health care labor landscape.
