Approximately 100 nurses and supporters gathered outside Putnam Hospital in Carmel on Thursday, Nov. 12, to protest what they say are chronic staffing shortages and stalled contract negotiations with Northwell Health, the hospital's parent company.
The informational picket, organized by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA), comes as nurses continue their efforts to secure a new labor agreement that includes enforceable staffing standards designed to protect patient care.
The nurses' previous contract expired Dec. 31, 2025, and the union says negotiations have failed to produce an agreement addressing its concerns about nurse-to-patient ratios and working conditions.
Carrying signs and chanting slogans, nurses and their supporters marched outside the hospital, calling on Northwell administrators to address staffing levels they contend have placed increasing demands on employees and potentially compromised patient care.
In a statement to Mahopac News, a Northwell spokesperson emphasized that the demonstration did not disrupt hospital operations and said the health system remains committed to reaching an agreement.
"We respect our team members' right to conduct informational picketing. This is not a strike, and Putnam Hospital remains fully operational, with patients continuing to receive uninterrupted, high-quality care throughout," the spokesperson said.
"Our nurses are essential to the exceptional care our patients receive every day and take their concerns seriously. We remain committed to working with NYSNA to reach a fair, sustainable agreement that supports our nurses and prioritizes patient care."
At the center of the dispute are staffing guidelines that determine how many patients individual nurses are responsible for during their shifts.
According to NYSNA, Northwell has submitted staffing plans to the New York State Department of Health containing nurse-to-patient ratios that the union considers inadequate. Union representatives also contend that hospital administrators have resisted including provisions in a new contract that would allow nurses to hold management accountable when staffing falls below agreed-upon levels.
The union maintains that written, enforceable standards are necessary to ensure adequate staffing and prevent nurses from being assigned more patients than they can safely manage.
"Northwell is putting its nurses in an impossible situation," said Coral Palmer, a registered nurse in the hospital's medical-surgical unit. "Every day, short staffing makes it more and more difficult to provide the safe, quality care our patients deserve."
The dispute comes during a period of significant change for Putnam Hospital, which became part of Northwell Health in 2025 following the merger of Northwell and Connecticut-based Nuvance Health.
The merger brought several hospitals in New York and Connecticut under Northwell's umbrella, expanding the health system's regional presence.
Union officials say the transition has raised concerns about whether the larger health system will maintain adequate staffing and resources at community hospitals such as Putnam.
"Northwell is one of the wealthiest healthcare systems in New York," said Nicole Cadella, a registered nurse and president of the hospital's local bargaining unit. "They continue to buy community hospitals to expand their footprint, but they need to invest in those hospitals and maintain the level of care patients are used to."
Cadella said nurses are concerned that increasing workloads could affect both employees and the patients who depend on the hospital.
"We will not allow them to take over our hospital, over-work our nurses and drive-up costs for patients," she said. "They should be working with us to provide the resources, staffing and care that our community needs."
The union has also raised questions about Northwell's financial priorities.
According to figures cited by NYSNA, the Northwell system reported approximately $252 million in revenue exceeding expenses during the first six months of 2026. The union also pointed to three rounds of layoffs across the health system since October 2025.
It remains unclear how many employees were affected by those layoffs, whether any worked at Putnam Hospital or whether additional reductions are planned.
Union officials argue that Northwell's financial resources should allow it to address staffing concerns without compromising patient services.
The nurses have also taken issue with the hospital's pursuit of Magnet recognition, a national designation awarded to hospitals that demonstrate nursing excellence and quality patient care.
NYSNA says its members do not support Putnam Hospital's application for the designation while their staffing concerns remain unresolved. In August, nurses began boycotting the hospital's Nursing Council, a hospital-led group, as part of their opposition to the accreditation effort.
Thursday's demonstration was the latest in a series of actions intended to bring public attention to the contract dispute.
Nurses held a demonstration outside the hospital in June and conducted a virtual town hall in October to discuss staffing concerns with community members. They also delivered a petition signed by more than 1,000 community members urging Northwell to reach an agreement.
More recently, NYSNA launched an online campaign encouraging hospital employees, patients and residents to contact Putnam Hospital President Derek Anderson and urge him to support a new contract.
The dispute has also drawn attention from elected officials.
Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg expressed support for the nurses and urged Northwell to reach an agreement that addresses staffing levels.
"Nurses are essential to the functioning of our hospitals, and your working conditions are the healing conditions of the patients of this hospital," Levenberg said.
Congresswoman-elect Cait Conley also voiced support for the approximately 200 nurses represented by the union at Putnam Hospital.
"Watching my sister serve as a nurse, I've witnessed firsthand the dedication the job requires," Conley said. "Our nurses are on the frontlines of keeping our communities safe and healthy, and we must ensure they have the resources and support they need."
State Sen.-elect Lisa Kaul echoed those concerns, warning that excessive patient assignments can contribute to professional burnout and potentially jeopardize patient outcomes.
NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said the demonstration was intended to send a message that nurses would continue pressing for staffing protections.
"Our nurses sent a strong message that safe staffing saves lives, and they will not stop until they win a fair contract with enforceable safe staffing standards," Hagans said.
The New York State Nurses Association represents approximately 45,000 nurses statewide and is affiliated with National Nurses United.
Although the two sides remain without a new agreement, Northwell says it intends to continue negotiations, while the union maintains that enforceable staffing protections must be part of any settlement.
For now, the dispute remains at the bargaining table, with hospital operations continuing as negotiations proceed.
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