New York, New York - Nurses at two New York City hospital systems on Thursday morning called off their strike after reaching tentative agreements on staffing ratios.

More than 7,000 nurses at the Mount Sinai Health System and Montefiore Health System had been on strike for three days demanding that their workplaces put patients over profits by establishing safe staffing ratios.

The nurses had said that low staffing levels, long hours, and low wages were impacting their ability to provide patients the quality of care they deserve.

On Thursday, the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) announced they had won safe staffing ratios in new tentative deals reached with hospital administrators.

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At Mount Sinai, the tentative deal guarantees higher staffing levels across the board, with enforcement measures. Nurses at Montefiore won safe staffing levels in the Emergency Department, with financial penalties for the hospitals if they violate staffing ratios in all units.

NYSNA President Nancy Hagans said in a statement, "This is a historic victory for New York City nurses and for nurses across the country. NYSNA nurses have done the impossible, saving lives night and day, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we’ve again shown that nothing is impossible for nurse heroes."

"Through our unity and by putting it all on the line, we won enforceable safe staffing ratios at both Montefiore and Mount Sinai where nurses went on strike for patient care," she continued. "Today, we can return to work with our heads held high, knowing that our victory means safer care for our patients and more sustainable jobs for our profession."

Nurses must approve the tentative deals before they are finalized. In the meantime, they returned to work Thursday morning.