lucidpivot t1_j3kn7l9 wrote
Reply to comment by Conscious_Card6261 in Talks continue as approximately 9,000 nurses threaten to strike at 4 NYC hospitals by DrogDrill
Are you aware that "the suits" have been notified of these strikes for weeks?
Are you aware that the nurses have been in negotiation with management about these concerns for months?
Your options are premised on the idea that this wasn't completely avoidable. The 3rd option would be for Mt Sinai to make reasonable concessions to avoid the strike, thereby maintaining continuity of patient care. Placing any of the blame on workers is disingenuous.
Conscious_Card6261 t1_j3kye4v wrote
First: that isnt a 3rd option. Its strike or dont strike, thats it. Youre third option is labor gets what they want an dispute over, which would be great but its not what were looking at here.
Second I am not placing blame, im saying if there was a strike, people would die cause there will be fewer nurses to man the ER and help with surgeries and whatevee else. You can blame the nurses, you can blame the suits either way I dont care people are dying.
Third would you support fire fighters going on strike if it meant that a city block will burn down?
astoriaboundagain t1_j3lcxqm wrote
There is one public fire department.
There are many hospitals under many different contacts, both public and private. As of last night, only a few private facilities were ready to strike.
Why are you arguing something you know so little about?
Conscious_Card6261 t1_j3ln6rx wrote
Tell that to the neighborhood that is about to lose their ER or the overtaxed hospital thats about to become more over taxed because of a strike.
astoriaboundagain t1_j3lpgnx wrote
I showed up at one this morning at 6am like I have for over the past 15 years. I'll pass along your concern.
Conscious_Card6261 t1_j3lq346 wrote
Thank you for service.
Can I ask what the game plan is if theres a strike and the ER is under staffed? Like what are nurses and the unions thinking of that? What will hospitals do? I mean educate me here since youre on the ground?
astoriaboundagain t1_j3luq2d wrote
It's multifaceted.
Months ago when contract negotiations started, contingency plans began. Non-union staff (physicians, PAs, nursing management) were trained up to step in to provide direct patient care as needed. Supplemental agency and travel nursing staff positions were posted at crazy high rates. That supplemental staffing process is smoother than ever since Covid. Also, not all nurses went out on strike this morning. They had a choice, because those that did walk immediately lost all pay and benefits. There's a command center at all facilities that balances staff based on real-time patient needs.
A couple weeks ago, patient transfers began to other non-striking facilities. Capacity is tight, but to my knowledge, everyone that needed to be moved, was. EMS and intra-system transfer centers are aware of facility capacities in both private and public systems and will admit accordingly.
The Greater New York Hospital Association is very organized, both in their political lobbying and operations information sharing. C-Suite members from all systems and facilities speak frequently, during a strike, Covid, or other emergencies, about patient loads and facility needs.
The expectation was that NYSNA would hold firm and strike at all bargaining facilities. Only a few walking out is better than everyone expected.
Conscious_Card6261 t1_j3mzhck wrote
Ok.... thats a little more comforting but it boils down to getting people with other responsibilities to cover, bringing in people who may not know the hospital and moving people around to other places, which cuts into the time that cpuld be spent on them recieving care. Knock on wood the other hospitals didnt go on strike. Still seems like a bad disruption imo. And to an extent we've so far gotten lucky.
Do you believe patient loads can be accomodated city wide if other hospitals go on strike?
astoriaboundagain t1_j3n28nd wrote
This should be it for the private sector. I was a little nervous that the staff at Presby was going to vote down the tentative agreement, but it passed.
So far the load balancing is going well. My personal opinion? I don't think the strike will last very long, but Sinai does have deep pockets so we'll see. NYSNA can't afford to lose this fight now that it's got nationwide attention.
Next round is the public sector nurses. That contract expires in March and I'm very interested to see how the city reacts to the private fight. Bloomberg just delayed signing for years when he had his turn. But who knows with this administration.
HangerSteak1 t1_j3vrola wrote
Hopefully they leave the picket like and go to work, no patient should suffer over money.
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