Nurses in Alma announced Thursday that they will hold a three-day strike starting on Monday, Sept. 21. This decision comes after the nurses' union voted down MyMichigan's current proposal for a new contract on Tuesday.
Last week marked their 18th bargaining session and hospital administrators put what they called their "last, best and final offer,” on the table.
“While we don’t take it lightly to hold a second strike, our nurses have given clear direction by voting overwhelmingly to reject MyMichigan’s inadequate offer," said Shenan Shinabarger, a nurse and the president of the local nurses’ union.
The nurses have been without a union contract since February. Shinabarger said the union is still unhappy with the wage increases offered in MyMichigan's current proposal.
According to a news release from the nurses' union, the hospital offered a general wage increase of 3.5% over four years.
The release stated that the increases don’t account for inflation and would amount to a pay cut. Plus, one in four nurses wouldn't see that increase in pay.
"We’d be doing the same work for less, with the rising costs of groceries, gas and everything else," said Sarah Weber, a nurse and member of the bargaining team. "Who would say yes to that?”
MyMichigan told WCMU in a written statement that hospital administrators have worked diligently to address the nurses’ priorities.
The statement read that their “last, best and final,” offer included “significant economic enhancements and agreed to the MNA's [Michigan Nurses Association] stated top priority.”
MyMichigan wrote that they were “disappointed” that their latest offer wasn’t ratified by the union.
“We do not believe that work stoppages advance either party’s interests,” the statement read.
The nurses went on strike back in July, protesting the hospital’s alleged unfair labor practices.
The nurses' union has filed eight complaints to the National Labor Relations Board, saying hospital administrators have retaliated against the nurses.
In a statement from the nurses' union, they claim that MyMichigan tried to get the union to withdraw those charges.
MyMichigan did not respond to WCMU's request for comment on those claims.
The hospital did say that they're prepared to continue uninterrupted care during the three-day strike later this month.
Weber said although the nurses are exhausted, union members are “fired-up” and not willing to settle for less.
“None of us thought when we started this back in January that we would still be here trying to fight for a fair contract,” Weber said.
Weber said the nurses appreciate support from the community.
WCMU's Rural Life and Agriculture reporting is made possible through the generous support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
