NewYork-Presbyterian Nurses Reach Tentative Agreement, Ending Historic Strike

Fresh York, NY – After a six-week strike, approximately 4,200 nurses represented by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital have reached a tentative agreement with hospital management, potentially ending the longest nurses’ strike in New York City history. The agreement was announced just after midnight on Friday, February 20, 2026, following resumed bargaining on Thursday morning [CBS News].

Key Terms of the Agreement

The tentative contract addresses several key concerns raised by the nurses during the strike, including:

• Layoff Protections: The agreement includes provisions to protect nurses against layoffs. [CBS News]
• Salary Increases: Nurses will receive salary increases exceeding 12% over the course of a three-year contract. [CBS News]
• Health Benefits: The agreement maintains existing health benefits for nurses. [CBS News]
• Workplace Violence Protection: The contract strengthens protections for nurses against workplace violence. [CBS News]
• Safe Staffing Standards: Improved and enforceable safe staffing standards are included, increasing the number of nurses available to patients. [NY1]
• Safeguards Against Artificial Intelligence: The agreement includes safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence in ways that could negatively impact patient care or nursing jobs. [NY1]

Strike Background and Previous Agreement

The strike began on January 12, 2026, when approximately 15,000 nurses from NewYork-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai, and Montefiore hospitals walked off the job after contract negotiations stalled. Nurses were seeking improved pay, healthcare coverage, safe staffing levels, and protection from workplace violence. [CBS News]

This is the second tentative agreement reached between NYSNA and NewYork-Presbyterian. Nurses previously rejected a proposal last week, citing insufficient protections against layoffs. [CBS News]

On February 9, NYSNA reached a tentative agreement with Mount Sinai and Montefiore, and nurses at those hospitals ratified the contracts on February 10, ending their strike. More than 10,500 nurses returned to work at those facilities on February 14. [CBS News]

Next Steps

Nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian will vote to ratify the agreement through the weekend. If approved, they are expected to return to work next week. [NYSNA]

“We are proud to say that our nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian fought, and fought very hard, toward an employer who’s always delaying the response, and then, now we are excited that our nurses will begin voting at 1 p.m. In order to ratify the contract, and they are looking forward to it to get back to their patients,” said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans. [CBS News]

A NewYork-Presbyterian spokesperson stated, “We are pleased to have reached a tentative settlement with NYSNA, through the mediator, that reflects our tremendous respect for our nurses—the settlement is still subject to ratification.” [CBS News]