South Shore University Hospital Nurses Prepare to Strike Feb. 27

Nurses at Northwell Health’s South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore delivered a strike notice on Tuesday and will go on strike Feb. 27 if a contract agreement is not met.

About 99% of the hospital’s roughly 800 nurses, represented by New York Nurses Association (NYSNA), voted Feb. 3 to authorize a strike. They have now given a 10-day notice before taking the labor action in hopes of pressuring management to “deliver a fair contract,” according to the nurses’ union.

“South Shore was one of the epicenters of the Covid-19 pandemic on Long Island. Nurses were called frontline heroes for our work, and we’ve continued to work non-stop to deliver the quality care our community needs,” said Chrysse Blau, RN, NYSNA local president at South Shore University Hospital.

“With the current tri-demic, the hospital continues to have an influx of patients and not enough nurses to care for them,” she added. “Northwell needs to come to the table and deliver a fair contract that guarantees the safe staffing levels and the respect nurses deserve, so we can deliver the care our community deserves.”

South Shore University Hospital’s nurses’ contract expired on Feb. 28, 2022 and negotiations have lasted many months, according to NYSNA.

Miriam Sholder, a spokesperson for Northwell, says the healthcare system, the largest in the state, “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 will continue to bargain in good faith and look forward to positive and productive ongoing negotiations with NYSNA,” she continued. “Patient care remains our highest priority. South Shore University Hospital will be fully operational and continue to provide continued, world-class care to our patients.”

The move comes after NYSNA nurses in New York City went on strike to win a fair contract. Nurses from Mount Sinai Hospital and Montefiore Medical Center went on strike for three days and ultimately agreed on a contract that included improved safety measures, increased wages, safe staffing levels, and secure health benefits.