Alma nurses and hospital administrators at MyMichigan Health reached a tentative agreement Wednesday for a new union contract. The nurses have been without one since February.
Last week, the nurses' union voted down what MyMichigan said was their “last, best and final” offer.
Sarah Webber, a nurse and a member of the bargaining team, said MyMichigan’s offers have not met the union’s needs for higher pay.
“We’d be doing the same work for less, with the rising costs of groceries, gas and everything else," Weber told WCMU earlier this month. “Who would say yes to that?”
After last week’s vote, the union announced plans for a strike that was set to happen on Monday, Sept. 21. Now, the strike has been cancelled.
A statement from the nurses' union said the details of the contract won’t be made public yet.
But the local union president and nurse, Shenan Shinabarger, said this agreement is a win for the nurses and community.
“Our union strength and solidarity have resulted in MyMichigan investing more in nurses and making our hospital better able to attract and retain the skilled nurses our community needs,” Shinabarger said in a news release.
MyMichigan told WCMU in a statement that the agreement won’t be ratified until the nurses' union takes it to a vote next Thursday.
“We’re deeply appreciative for the continued dialogue and the shared commitment to reaching an agreement,” the statement reads. “We look forward to moving ahead together with a continued focus on providing high-quality care for our patients and serving our community.”
WCMU's Rural Life and Agriculture reporting is made possible through the generous support of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
