NEW ROCHELLE, NY — Dozens of nurses began picketing even before the official start of the New York State Nurses Association job action at Montefiore New Rochelle hospital at 7 a.m. this morning.
By 7:15 am, the number of striking nurses had swelled to cover the entire block in front of the Schaffer Extended Care Center at Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital.
Chanting, waving noise-makers and waving at cars honking to show their support, NYSNA members had plenty of encouragement and — as the only nurses in the area to strike during the COVID epidemic— extensive media coverage. In addition to Talk of the Sound, most NY-Metro television stations were on hand: WCBS-TV, WPIX-TV, WABC-TV, Telemundo, News12 and others.
“We are out here for safe staffing for our patients…for safe patient care,” Shalon Matthews, an ER nurse, told Talk of the Sound.
“We are out here to prevent a disastrous second wave,” said Matthews. “Montefiore has not adequately prepared for the second wave of COVID with PPE and basic health and safety protocols. It is clear management has not prepared for this strike, either. They are choosing to endanger patients and refuse care for our community, instead of negotiating with nurses for a fair contract. As someone who cares for patients every day, I feel so disappointed in my employer right now.”
The nurses at Montefiore New Rochelle have been without a contract for two years.
UPDATE: The strike-day came to an end shortly after 5 p.m. with several union locals joining the NYSNA local including SEIU 32BJ and New Rochelle FUSE.
NYSNA President Judi Sheridan-Gonzalez came from Albany where she joined another NYSMA strike in Albany. Nurses at Albany Medical Center Hospital went on strike the same day over similar concerns: a contract and a belief that the hospital is not doing enough to protect nurses and patients from coronavirus.
The two nurses strikes are the only such strikes in New York since the outbreak of COVID in March.
FUSE President Mary Breslin (pictured above) and Sheridan-Gonzalez addressed the nurses. Sheridan-Gonzalez conveyed the support of the Albany nurses and played an iPhone recording (see video).
The NYSMA New Rochelle members and their supporters wrapped up the day with a rally near the Montefiore main entrance then a march around the building to the front of the Emergency Room entrance where they shooed away by security guards.
The nurses plan to return for a second day of picketing at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Sheridan-Gonzalez (pictured above) said she would be on hand Thursday when nurses return to work in the event management seeks to lock them out.