Nurses say they’re understaffed; hospital responds to rally

MARQUETTE — Nurses at UP Health System – Marquette believe that they are understaffed. And to show that to hospital management, the nursing staff delivered a petition to them at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

Since July 4th, the safe nursing petition has gained 3,700 signatures. The union has proposed a staffing increase to the hospital as part of their negotiations but has not heard back in two months.

The nurse’s contract ended July 28th with no extension and they have been working without a contract since.

“We’re hoping that the hospital sees our pleas and understands that the community is also concerned with the issues at the hospital,” said Scott Balko, RN/Union Leader at UP Health System – Marquette. “Hopefully they will come to the table and give us some serious answers or proposals on fixing these problems.”

In response to the MI Nurses Association press conference, U-P Health System Marquette did release a statement Tuesday afternoon saying:

“UP Health System – Marquette takes very seriously our commitment to deliver high-quality, safe and compassionate care close to home, and we strive daily to create excellent workplaces for our employees.

In regard to today’s events, we respect every person’s right to assemble and speak freely, and we value the input of everyone in our community.”