SAULT STE. MARIE — After more than half a year of negotiations and bargaining, the nurses of MyMichigan Medical Center Sault now have a working contract.
On Tuesday, June 25, the nurses union ratified a new contract for MyMichigan Sault nurses.
The agreement comes after 18 bargaining sessions, one strike and multiple picket lines over the past eight months as nurses worked for better pay and benefits from the company that took over War Memorial Hospital. The agreement comes in time to avoid a second strike of an indefinite time frame.
Nurses claimed that while the hospital had offered them a wage increase, it did not compensate for loss of benefits, and that the lack of a fair contract was leading to unsafe staffing numbers as nurses left for other hospitals.
“We’re proud of our solidarity and strength as a union that made this possible, as well as the amazing community support for which we are so grateful,” said Colleen Waucaush, president of the Michigan Nurses Association local bargaining unit at the hospital. “This journey was worth it to set up a better future for local nurses and our hospital, which ultimately means a better future for everyone in the eastern U.P. Nurses never lost our focus on providing the best care possible for our patients, and we’re proud that this contract will support making that happen every day at our hospital.”
The new contract is expected to help retain and recruit new nurses by introducing a wage increase for top of the scale wages beyond $50 an hour by the time the contract ends on Dec. 31, 2027. The contract will affect about 120 nurses working for MyMichigan Sault. Other details about the contract have not been made public.
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“This agreement underscores our commitment to valuing and supporting the critical role our nurses and all of our staff have in delivering safe, excellent care that we always have provided. We believe this contract will foster a collaborative, supportive and positive work environment, ensuring our nurses and staff have the resources necessary to continue their outstanding service to our community,” said MyMichigan Medical Center Sault President Kevin Kalchik.
“At MyMichigan Health, safe staffing, workplace safety and competitive compensation and benefits have always, and will continue to be, priorities," he added. "We remain dedicated to maintaining open lines of communication with our nursing staff to ensure their voices continue to be heard. And, most importantly, together with our nurses and all of our staff, we look forward to building a healthier and even stronger future for the benefit of our patients and communities we serve.”
— Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@Sooeveningnews.com
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