The New York State Nurses Association announced Monday night that they have agreed on a new contract with New York City Health + Hospitals.  

The contract includes a significant pay bump and addresses safe staffing needs, including agreements that the nurses association says will improve nurse retention rates in an effort to reduce staffing shortages and retain qualified professionals in the public healthcare system.  

The NYSNA has held rallies, sit-ins and strikes over the last several months. The association includes 8,000 nurses that have been negotiating with the city.  

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The contract will last for five and a half years. It includes two years of pay equality effective immediately, with nurses being awarded just over $16,000 in their first year, and another $5,551 in their second year, bringing them up to par with private-sector nurse salaries.  

In years three and four, nurses will receive a 3% salary increase and in year five they will receive a 3.5% salary increase.  

A vote to make the new agreement official will be held later this week.