Nurses and elected officials rallied on Thursday calling on New York City Health + Hospitals and the city to give them what they call a fair contract.

The nurses -- part of the New York State Nurses Association and current employees at Lincoln Hospital -- protested for better pay equal to that of nurses in the private sector.

"This contract, yes it's about workers,” said New York State Nurses Association executive director Pat Kane. “It's a contract, but guess what? It isn't just about the workers, this is a contract for this community and the people that it serves."

In a statement to News 12, New York City Health + Hospitals said:

"Nurses are the heart of our health system. The city, including NYC Health + Hospitals, is actively engaged in the collective bargaining process with NYSNA. Ultimately, our goal is to reduce our dependency on temporary staff, because we know that it's good for our nurses and our system. We are grateful for our nurses' hard work and their commitment to delivering high-quality care to all their patients."