美国国家公共电台 NPR--Thousands of nurses end strikes at 2 New York City hospitals

Thousands of nurses end strikes at 2 New York City hospitals

Transcript¹

NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Fran Cartwright, chief nursing officer at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City, one of two hospitals where nurses walked off the job on Monday.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

A three-day nurses strike at two major New York City hospitals is over. Both Montefiore and Mount Sinai Hospitals announced early this morning that they had reached a tentative deal with more than 7,000 striking nurses. Quote, "This is a historic victory for nurses across the country" - that is according to a union statement. Joining us this morning to talk about the deal is Fran Cartwright, chief nursing officer at Mount Sinai. She's a member of Mount Sinai's management and was at the negotiating table the whole time. Good morning.

FRAN CARTWRIGHT: Good morning.

FADEL: So what were the terms of the deal?

CARTWRIGHT: Or proposed agreement is very similar to those between NYSNA and eight other New York City hospitals. And it's very fair, and it demonstrates how much we value our nurses and how we put our patients first. And, you know, we're just very grateful to Governor Hochul and her staff and the elected officials for their support and also the negotiation² team, where we really collaboratively worked together to make so many investments that's going to support our Mount Sinai nurses but also support our patients, where their safety is our first priority.

FADEL: Did the deal specifically address the union's grievances³ regarding staff shortages in patient care? I mean, nurses were describing what they said were dangerous conditions, with as many as 15 patients assigned to one nurse.

CARTWRIGHT: First of all, I think the truth counts. So in terms of looking at the - our interpatient assignment and the numbers. While our staffing is challenged, I will just say, with the agreement that we came to, we have very good staffing grids⁴, which we, you know, reviewed with our NYSNA executive team, and we have enforcement language and - that's the same or even better than what NYSNA agreed to with the eight other hospitals. And this staffing enforcement provides a real pathway to binding⁵ arbitration⁶.

FADEL: Fran, what was the biggest sticking point to securing the deal with the union?

CARTWRIGHT: So we actually came to an agreement, and this agreement also did include staffing grids, with staffing enforcement language that is the same or better than what NYSNA agreed to with the eight other hospitals. And the staffing enforcement proposal provides a pathway to binding arbitration. And one of the things that we also have been working very, very collaborative through the negotiations⁷ with our NYSNA executive team, as well as our Mount Sinai nurses, is with recognition that the pandemic surge, it resulted in a national workforce⁸ crisis.

FADEL: Yeah.

CARTWRIGHT: And, you know, nurses who care for patients 24-7, they feel it the most. Nationally, our experienced nurses have left the bedside - we know this - to retire early, to return to positions in their home community. And many also love to become travelers. So nationwide and especially in - with academic medical centers, we're now grappling with, how do we retain nurses as we replace the experienced nurses who've left for all of these reasons?

FADEL: Fran Cartwright of Mount Sinai Hospital. Thank you so much for your time.

CARTWRIGHT: Thank you so very much.

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

3 grievances   

n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚

参考例句：

• The trade union leader spoke about the grievances of the workers. 工会领袖述说工人们的苦情。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• He gave air to his grievances. 他申诉了他的冤情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 grids   

n.格子( grid的名词复数 )；地图上的坐标方格；（输电线路、天然气管道等的）系统网络；（汽车比赛）赛车起跑线

参考例句：

• Typical framed structures are beams, grids, plane and space frames or trusses. 典型构架结构为梁、格栅、平面的和空间的框架或桁架。 来自辞典例句
• The machines deliver trimmed grids for use or stock. 这种机器铸出修整过的板栅，以供使用或储存。 来自辞典例句

5 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

6 arbitration   

n.调停，仲裁

参考例句：

• The wage disagreement is under arbitration.工资纠纷正在仲裁中。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding.双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

7 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

8 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。