Nurses at some hospitals in our area are prepared to strike, if necessary, for a new contract.

That announcement comes from the New York State Nurses Association on Tuesday outside of Montefiore Nyack.

The association said about 96% of nurses from Montefiore Mount Vernon, Nyack and New Rochelle authorized a strike if they can’t get a new contract on time.

Their contracts end Dec. 31.

"I'm a nurse because I really like caring for my patients,” said Michele Corda who voted to authorize a strike. “Montefiore administration needs to set us up for success – not tie our hands and set us up for failure. We need the tools and the staff to get that job done."

The nurses want a contract that they say will ultimately help their patients – including safe staffing levels as well as wages that recruit and keep nurses. It was said on Tuesday that MontefioreNyack has about 100 nurse vacancies.

"It's so important because our patients deserve better,” said Anna Marie Perkins, a nurse who is also part of the negotiations with NYSNA.

"The hospitals are not doing the right thing. Nurses only should have six patients each…When you have 10 and 11, it's just so unsafe,” she said.

There are a handful more negotiation meetings set to happen before their contracts end this month.

News 12 reached out to Montefiore for comment and have not yet heard back.