Almost 16,000 nurses at some of New York City's largest private hospitals are preparing to launch a mass strike over pay.  

The strikes are set to begin Monday after months of contract negotiations failed to reach an agreement, with disagreements over health insurance coverage and understaffing also fueling the walk-out. 

The clash has been between the New York State Nurses Association, which represents the huge bloc of nurses in the Big Apple, and the Montefiore, Mount Sinai and New York-Presbyterian health systems. 

Ahead of the strike action, nurses held a rally on Friday outside the Manhattan offices of the Greater New York Hospital Association and the League of Voluntary Hospitals and Homes of New York, who negotiated for the hospitals, reports Politico. 

Workers at the protest told the outlet that they have been left disgruntled by hospital executives during the failed negotiations. 

'We are going to continue to fight to get what we feel our patients and our communities deserve,' Montefiore Medical Center nurse Michelle Gonzalez said at the rally. 

Nurses are also demanding increased protections against workplace violence, and the ability to restrict ICE agents from entering hospitals across New York City. 

With an agreement reportedly out of reach, Beth Loudin, a pediatric nurse for New York-Presbyterian, said at the rally on Friday: 'They’re ready for us to walk on Monday.' 

Almost 16,000 nurses at some of New York City's largest private hospitals are preparing to launch a mass strike over pay, health insurance coverage and understaffing

A hostile atmosphere between the nurses and hospitals escalated Thursday with a shooting at New York-Presbyterian’s Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, which saw the NYPD fatally shoot a man armed with a knife who took a patient and hospital worker hostage (pictured) 

A hostile atmosphere between the nurses and hospitals escalated Thursday with a shooting at New York-Presbyterian’s Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, which saw the NYPD fatally shoot a man armed with a knife who took a patient and hospital worker hostage. 

The incident sparked concerns over the safety of hospital workers, who say they are understaffed and underpaid despite demanding schedules. 

Contracts the union had with 12 New York City hospitals expired at the end of 2025. 

At many of the 12 hospitals, the union agreed not to launch its strikes as they often serve low-income patients who are uninsured or on Medicaid. 

But the strikes will instead hit the Montefiore, Mount Sinai and New York-Presbyterian health systems, three of the largest in the city.