Home care workers in New York City have initiated a hunger strike to demand the end of 24-hour work shifts. These workers argue that the practice is physically and mentally exhausting, causing long-term health issues for those who care for the city’s most vulnerable residents. They are currently applying pressure to City Council Speaker Julie Menin to move legislation that would cap these shifts at 12 hours.
The proposed bill, known as the No More 24 Act, has become a point of significant contention. Proponents describe the current 24-hour shift structure as unsustainable, noting that while state policy assumes workers get eight hours of rest and three hours for meals, these breaks are often impossible to take in practice. Many workers report being required to attend to patients throughout the night, leaving them sleep-deprived and physically strained.
Opponents of the bill, including advocates for people with disabilities and legal aid representatives, express concern that ending 24-hour shifts will disrupt essential care. There are fears that a cap would leave disabled New Yorkers without consistent support if staffing shortages occur. Critics also argue that because the home care industry is funded through state-run Medicaid programs, the city lacks the authority to implement these changes without state-level intervention regarding funding and insurance regulations.
The legislative path remains stalled. While the bill once held 17 sponsors, that number has dropped to 14. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has not yet offered official support for the measure, and the governor’s office has remained neutral on the pending local legislation. As the hunger strike continues, the divide between labor advocates and disability rights groups highlights the difficulty of reconciling worker protections with the delivery of necessary medical care for thousands of city residents.