Largest Nurses Strike in New York City History Ends

Holdout Workers Ratify Contract with Hospitals

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The largest nurses strike in New York City history has come to an end as the last holdout workers overwhelmingly voted to ratify a contract with the private New York-Presbyterian hospital system. The new agreement includes over a 12% increase in salaries, improved enforceable safe staffing standards, better protection for nurses from workplace violence, and safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence.

Why it matters

This strike was a major labor action that disrupted healthcare services in New York City for over a month. The resolution of the strike and the contract terms represent a significant victory for the nurses' union and highlight the ongoing challenges facing the healthcare industry around staffing, safety, and the role of new technologies.

The details

Around 4,200 members of the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) employed by the New York-Presbyterian system approved a three-year contract on Saturday that includes the salary increase, improved staffing standards, and other key protections. This came after about 10,500 NYSNA nurses at other major New York City hospital systems ratified similar contracts last week, ending the broader 41-day strike involving nearly 15,000 nurses in total.

  • The strike began on January 12, 2026.
  • The New York-Presbyterian nurses ratified the contract on February 18, 2026.
  • The other major hospital systems reached contract agreements with NYSNA nurses the previous week.

The players

New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA)

The labor union representing the striking nurses in New York City.

New York-Presbyterian

The private hospital system that employed the last group of holdout nurses to ratify a contract, ending the citywide strike.

Kathy Hochul

The Governor of New York who expressed relief that the strike was over and praised the nurses for their critical role in the healthcare system.

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What they’re saying

“We are so happy with the wins we achieved, and now the fight to enforce these contracts and hold our employers accountable begins.”

— Nancy Hagans, NYSNA President

“Nurses are the backbone of our health care system. I am grateful that NYSNA has overwhelmingly ratified an agreement with New York Presbyterian recognizing the exceptionally difficult work our nurses do day in and out.”

— Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York

What’s next

The new contracts will go into effect immediately, and the nurses will begin returning to work at the various hospital systems across New York City.

The takeaway

This resolution represents a major victory for the nurses' union and highlights the importance of healthcare workers having a strong voice in advocating for better working conditions, staffing levels, and protections against emerging technologies. The strike showcased the vital role nurses play in the healthcare system and the need for hospitals to value their contributions.