13 Nurses Arrested During Ongoing NYC Hospital Strike

Striking nurses block building as 25-day work stoppage continues against three major hospitals

Published on Feb. 5, 2026

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A group of 13 striking New York nurses were arrested after linking arms and refusing to move from in front of a midtown Manhattan skyscraper where lobbyists for three major hospital systems are located. The nurses were protesting for better pay, safety, and benefits as part of a 25-day work stoppage involving around 15,000 nurses at New York-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai, and Montefiore hospitals.

Why it matters

The ongoing nurses' strike in New York City highlights the growing tensions between healthcare workers and hospital management over issues like staffing levels, worker safety, and compensation. The arrests of the nurses during a protest outside a building housing hospital lobbyists underscores the determination of the strikers and the escalating nature of the labor dispute.

The details

According to witnesses, the 13 nurses were arrested without incident after linking arms and refusing to move from in front of 555 West 57th Street, where lobbyists for the three hospital systems are located. The nurses were part of a larger protest organized by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) to draw attention to their demands for the new contract negotiations.

  • The nurses' strike began on January 12, 2026 and has now reached its 25th day.
  • The protest and arrests occurred on February 5, 2026.

The players

New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)

The union representing the 15,000 striking nurses in New York City.

New York-Presbyterian, Mount Sinai, and Montefiore hospitals

The three major hospital systems in New York City that are involved in the ongoing contract negotiations with the nurses' union.

League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes (LVHH) and the Greater New York Hospital Association (GNYHA)

Two pro-hospital lobbying groups that the nurses were protesting against during the demonstration.

Rosa

A med-surg nurse who commented on the urgency of the nurses' demands and their willingness to get arrested.

Patrick Reilly

A 25-year-old bystander who witnessed the protest and arrests, describing it as "pretty textbook civil disobedience."

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What they’re saying

“It really spoke to the urgency – that we need better pay, better safety, better benefits, to the point that we're willing to get arrested for it. We're not professional protesters, we're professional nurses.”

— Rosa, med-surg nurse

“This is uncharted territory. None of the women who got arrested have ever been arrested before, I guarantee you. Watching them get taken away, it hit me how far this has gone.”

— Rosa, med-surg nurse

“No one screamed or struggled. A few people cried. I thought it was really brave – a badass move for nurses. It was a little surreal seeing them get taken away in zip ties. One of them reminded me of my mom, who's a nurse.”

— Patrick Reilly

What’s next

The NYPD stated that charges against the 13 arrested nurses were pending, and the union said there is a tentative agreement on artificial intelligence protections at all hospitals as well as several more tentative deals on local hospital issues.

The takeaway

The arrests of the nurses during this protest highlight the escalating tensions and determination of the striking healthcare workers, who are fighting for better pay, safety, and working conditions. This labor dispute reflects broader challenges facing the nursing profession and the healthcare industry as a whole.