Rev. Al Sharpton Takes Stand With NYC Nurses As Historic Strike Continues In MLK Day Rally

The MLK Day rally highlighted the late civil right activist's fight for healthcare justice.

Rev. Al Sharpton stood with striking New York City nurses at a rally in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The civil rights leader joined the New York State Nurses Association for the Jan. 19 event. It not only honored King’s legacy of equality in all forms but also highlighted these values in NYSNA’s ongoing fight for healthcare justice.

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Nearly 15,000 medical professionals and Sharpton joined the demonstration with the family-focused event at Mount Sinai Morningside. During the event, the NYSNA member nurses also performed free community health screenings, helping neighboring NYCHA residents at the George Washington Carver Houses.

Sharpton appeared as a pillar of support for the nurses as they entered the 2nd week of the largest strike in history. As the NYSNA continues talks with hospital executives in the city, Sharpton’s presence added to their plight for healthcare justice.

Aligned with Dr. King’s support for healthcare equity, the rally addressed nurses’ concerns about quality healthcare services for patients in diverse neighborhoods. In their ongoing demonstration, NYSNA members hope to address inadequate staffing, increased workplace violence, and their concerns about healthcare benefits.

“Nurses honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his commitment to racial and economic justice by fighting for every patient to be treated like a VIP regardless of the color of their skin or their ability to pay,” wrote the NYSNA in a statement. “We are on strike for patient and nurse safety. Our patients can’t get the safe, quality care they need when there aren’t enough nurses at the bedside, when we don’t have protections from violence in our hospitals, or when nurses can’t access their own healthcare to stay well on the job.”

Exemplifying Dr. King’s methods of direct, nonviolent action, the nurses also spent the MLK weekend calling on hospital executives to progress negotiations for fair contracts to provide the best care for each patient. As for Sharpton, he recalled Dr. King’s final moments advocating for fair wages for city workers, noting how this same spirit applies to healthcare workers.

“Martin Luther King died in Memphis fighting for workers for garbage workers, and I believe he would want those of us who come in his tradition to be standing with nurses,” he told the crowd at the rally, as detailed by NewsNation.

Despite the public figure’s support, the strike continues to make little headway as negotiations remain stalled. That same day, the CEO of Mount Sinai Health delivered an unfortunate update regarding the talks with NYSNA leaders.

“As of today, despite our best efforts to negotiate, a near-term path to an agreement is very unlikely,” wrote Mount Sinai CEO, Brendan Carr. Over the weekend, our operational teams extended our plans to run the Health System without the support of the nurses, and NYSNA leadership has convinced to strike.”