NEW YORK -- Thousands of nurses returned to work at Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center on Thursday and many said they felt vindicated with a tentative contract after a three-day strike. Night shift nurses heading back into Mount Sinai were greeted with applause from their coworkers, CBS2's Ali Bauman reported. "You're seeing everybody go back to reality, seeing the hospital come back to life. So this feels good," said Darla Joiner. "We climbed that mountain and we planted our flag. Here we are," said Keisha Carrington. Thousands of nurses spent the last three days picketing outside Mount Sinai Hospital in East Harlem and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. Nurse Matt Allen was at the bargaining table with Mount Sinai when they finally struck a deal just before dawn Thursday. "We were all sleep deprived and exhausted, but there was a really big level of excitement when we got that paperwork and we signed it," said Allen. While some details are still being flushed out, nurses at both hospitals will get a 19.2 percent pay raise over three years and new patient-to-nurse ratios with unprecedented, strict enforcement. Hospitals will be fined if nurses have to take on more patients than agreed. "This is the first time they've ever agreed to staffing ratios. So this agreement is historic," said Gov. Kathy Hochul. "With the staffing enforcement language we have, they have to start filling those vacancies. Otherwise they're gonna be in violation," said Allen. That means nurses like Joiner will care for five patients instead of the eight she typically has. "I can actually take more time out and be present for my patients and their family members," said Joiner. Montefiore also agreed to add 170 new nursing positions and preserve its program for high-risk new mothers, which was at risk of ending. It's been a rough week. The hospitals had to transfer some patients out and bring in traveling nursing during the strike. Kiana Lundy was a patient through it all. "The nurses are definitely happier," said Lundy. "Our teams have worked tirelessly over the last three days to keep our patients safe," said Dr. David Reich, president of Mount Sinai Hospital. "But it's over now and now it's time to welcome everyone." The work isn't over yet. Next week, the nurses must vote to approve these contracts. The union's focus then turns to negotiations for 9,000 more nurses at 11 public hospitals in the city before their contracts expire in the spring.
New Updates 5:13 PM / January 12, 2023Mount Sinai hasn't put out the details of its tentative deal yet, but its previous offer includes
And for both Montefiore and Mount Sinai, there a 19% increase over three years.
"It is fair and responsible, and it demonstrates how we value our Mount Sinai nurses and it puts our patients first," Mount Sinai Chief Nursing Officer Fran Cartwright.
"The atmosphere was different, the nurses were more attentive," said Ebony McKoy. "I give them a thumbs up today."
McKoy came in Thursday with her son, who has autism. As for what she expects emergency rooms to look like in the near future?
"We'll see. We'll see. We definitely will see," McKoy said.
The next step now is to finalize these tentative agreements with a ratification vote. There's still no date set for that vote yet - NYSNA expects it to take place next week.
By Kristie Keleshian link copied 1:14 PM / January 12, 2023Thousands of caregivers who were on the picket line are returning to patient rooms.
The New York State Nurses Association reached tentative deals with both Mount Sinai in East Harlem and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. The union says the deal will finally put in place enough nurses to provide proper patient care.
After three full days on strike, more than 7,000 nurses between both hospitals are returning to work Thursday.
The union calls the announcement a big victory.
"I want to thank all of New York, all of the people who drove by and honked their horns in solidarity, put posters in front of their stores in solidarity," said Mount Sinai nurse Marcia Griffiths.
It was all smiles from the nurses walking back into work early Thursday morning at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx and at Mount Sinai in East Harlem after both hospitals reached tentative agreements overnight with the New York State Nurses Association.
"From the beginning, we've always said out patient is our top priority, and we showed that," said NYSNA President Nancy Hagan.
Gov. Kathy Hochul was outside Mount Sinai, greeting nurses coming back to wage increases, better benefits and a promise to hire more staff.
"They'll receive a well-deserved 19% pay increase, also better benefits, higher wages for those with higher education," Hochul said.
Montefiore Medical Center says they came to the agreement with "great respect for our nurses and with proposals that reflect their priorities in terms of wages. benefits. safety and staffing."
The agreement includes a 19% wage increase, more than 170 new nursing positions, and a plan to address recruitment and retention.
Mount Sinai issued a similar statement that read, in part, "We are pleased that the Mount Sinai Hospital reached a tentative agreement with NYSNA, and the strike is over. Our proposed agreement is similar to those between NYSNA and eight other New York City hospitals. It is fair and reasonable, and it puts patients first."
The tentative agreements with the union come after thousands of nurses of both hospitals spent the week on strike calling for more staffing to keep their patients safe. Now, many say they're excited to be back doing what they love with the treatment they deserve.
"We took this risk. We took the stand because something has changed. And we demanded change, and change is going to happen," said nurse Ted Levine.
Nurses were eager to get back to their patients, and now both hospitals say surgeries and appointments scheduled from here on out will proceed as normal.
Both deals will not be finalized until the union holds and official vote.