Doctors at Elmhurst Hospital in Queens are making their demands loud and clear: They want Mt. Sinai to pay them the same as their counterparts in Manhattan.
And until they do, they will be on strike against the hospital. The strike started around 7 a.m. Monday, and they said they plan to go all week long.
"For Mount Sinai to give their Upper East Side residents a salary that’s greater than $7,000 more than what we earn, that’s a slap in the face," said Dr. Irfa Khan, a resident physician at Elmhurst Hospital.
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The doctors said they have been negotiating with Mt. Sinai for nearly a year now, and they still haven't gotten what they are asking for and what they believe they deserve.
Dr. Samnkit Jain, another resident at Elmhurst, said they "don’t feel supported by our employer who is refusing to pay us equal pay as our co workers at Mount Sinai Hospital."
Resident physicians aired their grievances and learned that an additional 500 residents from Manhattan also voted to strike. The physicians are also union members, and they fear that’s where the pay parity lies.
"It begs the question: Why is that the case, is that a union busting tactic? That’s what it feels like at this point," said Dr. Sarah Hafuth.
Dr. Michael Leitman, a dean at Mt. Sinai, said the hospital upped the residents' pay — but those on strike say it still falls short of what other Mt. Sinai residents are making.
"I would say that’s not true. Mt. Sinai have offered a very generous offer of salary and benefits and they will be at the same level as Mt. Sinai residents if they accept it," Dr. Leitman said.
"Workers everywhere continue to prevail and so will we. Because we stand united and we will fight for what we rightly deserve," said Dr. Tanathun Kajornsakchai, to applause from a crowd.
Mt. Sinai said negotiations broke down on Sunday once the residents added more demands, including meal and travel reimbursements. The healthcare provider added that the pay for residents is determined by the NYC Health + Hospitals Corporation.
