The #1 Reason Nurses Strike Has Nothing to Do With Pay, Say 600+ Nurses

Image source: Brennan LaBrie for w42st.com

As the New York City nurse strike continues to make national headlines, a common narrative persists: nurses are walking out primarily over pay. But a new Nurse.org poll* of more than 600 nurses, collected over the last two-day period, tells a different story—one centered on patient safety, staffing, and working conditions.

Safe Staffing Ratios Are the Top Priority—By Far

When nurses were asked what issue matters most to them in current or potential strike actions, the results were decisive:

• 63.5% said safe staffing ratios are their top concern
• 14.4% cited workplace safety, including violence prevention and secure environments
• 13.7% selected competitive wages and compensation
• 5.8% said healthcare benefits and protections
• 2.6% chose other issues

The data strongly challenges the idea that nurse strikes are primarily about pay. While compensation remains important, it ranked third, well behind staffing levels and slightly behind safety.

Concerns about unsafe staffing have appeared repeatedly in Nurse.org polling and reporting, including strong nurse opposition to proposed rollbacks of nursing home staffing standards.

For many nurses, staffing ratios are directly tied to patient outcomes, burnout, and the ability to safely do their jobs—making them a central issue in any labor action.

Workplace Safety Ranks Second Among Strike Issues

Workplace safety was the second most-cited concern, underscoring growing anxiety about violence and unsafe conditions in healthcare settings.

This also aligns with recent Nurse.org reporting showing that many nurses feel unsafe while performing their jobs. The poll results suggest that nurses view strikes as a way to push healthcare systems to address long-standing safety risks, not just contractual disputes.

Most Nurses Say Strikes Are Effective

When asked, “How strongly do you feel that strikes help advance nurses’ working conditions?”, the majority of respondents expressed confidence in collective action.

• 58% said strikes are very effective
• 23% said somewhat effective
• 7% were neutral or unsure
• 13% said strikes are not very effective or ineffective

In total, 81% of nurses believe strikes are at least somewhat effective in improving working conditions.

Broad Support for Strike Action—Even Without Direct Participation

Nurses were also asked to describe their stance on strike action at their workplace.

• 23% said they have supported or participated in a strike
• 47% said they would support one if proposed
• 9% were undecided
• 9% said they would not support a strike
• 13% said the question was not applicable (non-union)

That means 70% of respondents either have supported or would support a strike, indicating broad acceptance of strikes as a legitimate tool—even among nurses who have never participated in one.

Most Nurses Feel Informed About Their Rights—But Gaps Remain

Despite ongoing debate about nurse labor actions, most respondents said they feel knowledgeable about their rights related to strikes and union activity.

• 39% said they feel very informed
• 32% said somewhat informed
• 18% said not very informed
• 11% said not informed at all

Overall, 71% of nurses report feeling at least somewhat informed, though nearly three in ten still say they lack sufficient understanding—highlighting an opportunity for continued education as labor activity continues nationwide.

Headlines Often Focus on Pay—but Nurses Say That’s Not the Point

Public discussion of nurse strikes often centers on wages. During the recent New York City hospital labor dispute, NewYork-Presbyterian criticized union proposals as “unrealistic,” saying they would represent a roughly 25% wage increase over the next three years.

But the poll results suggest that this framing misses the bigger picture. Nurses consistently point to staffing levels and workplace safety—not salary—as the primary reasons they support strike action.

The Takeaway

This latest Nurse.org poll reinforces what many nurses have been saying for years: strikes are about protecting patients and preserving safe working conditions, not about greed or excessive pay demands.

As labor disputes continue to unfold across the country, these results offer a clearer view of what is truly motivating the nursing workforce—and what they hope strike action can accomplish.

🤔Nurses, what do you think about the results of this poll? Share your thoughts below.