12 Montefiore Nurses Laid Off After AI Replacement

Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx has laid off 12 nurses, a move the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA) says violates a contract the workers recently secured through a strike. The layoffs occurred on Sunday after the hospital replaced the nurses with AI‑powered software designed to review patient charts and manage insurance communications. Among those affected is Marilyn Shuler, who has served as a utilization review nurse for 39 years and is one of the 12 workers dismissed.

The NYSNA argues that the contract negotiated in the strike explicitly protected the nurses’ positions and required the hospital to maintain human oversight in utilization review. By abruptly substituting the staff with automated systems, the hospital allegedly breached the agreement, prompting the union to file a complaint. Montefiore has not yet issued a formal response to the claim, but the incident has drawn attention to the growing use of artificial intelligence in clinical administrative roles and its impact on long‑term staff employment.

If the union’s allegations are upheld, the hospital could be required to reinstate the nurses or provide compensation. The case highlights the tension between technological innovation and labor protections in the healthcare sector, and it may set a precedent for how hospitals can implement AI tools without infringing on negotiated labor agreements.