More than 900 nurses from Northwell Health’s South Shore University Hospital plan to go on strike later this month if they don’t get a contract that addresses staffing concerns and improves pay.
The nurses sent an unfair labor practice strike notice Tuesday to inform management at the Suffolk County Hospital that they will walk out on March 17 without a fair contract, according to their union, the New York State Nurses Association. The nurses’ previous contract ended on Feb. 28, but they’ve been bargaining since November to increase wages and benefits and bolster staffing.
The notice comes nearly a week after unionized nurses voted by 99% to authorize a strike.
Staffing at the 313-bed hospital is a major sticking point in the negotiations, with the nurses pushing for increased staffing in the emergency room and labor and delivery unit, said Joanne DeAntonio, an ER nurse at South Shore University Hospital and local bargaining unit president. Shortages are most apparent when nurses take breaks because there are often no relief nurses available to take over. Nurses in some instances go more than 12 hours without a break – presenting safety concerns for patient care, she said.
The hospital said it will continue to bargain with nurses in hopes of avoiding a strike. “South Shore University Hospital is disappointed in NYSNA’s decision to issue a strike notice but as always, our goal is to reach a fair contract,” said Barbara Osborn, a hospital spokeswoman. The hospital remains optimistic that an agreement will be reached, she said.
The union alleged that Northwell has interrogated and retaliated against nurses in violation of federal labor laws. The union said it filed unfair labor practice charges against the hospital on Feb. 25.
Osborn said that the hospital has not received any claims of unfair labor practices against the hospital from the National Labor Relations Board.
The nurses say the health system can afford to spend more on staffing and wages. Northwell Health brought in $16.9 billion in operating revenue in 2023, the most recent year available. The health system is the state’s largest employer with more than 85,000 staff across its 21 hospitals.
“We have invested in Northwell, and we would like Northwell to do the same,” DeAntonio said.
