New statement from UPHS — Marquette RN Staff Council

MARQUETTE — The nurses have released another statement, thanking the community for the support during the strike and updating the public on next steps.

The statement from Scott Balko, Operating Room RN and President of the UPHS Marquette RN Staff Council/MNA, is as follows:

“On Thursday and Friday, MNA nurses at UPHS-Marquette took our fight for safe staffing to the picket line. Our strike ended Saturday morning at 6:59 AM. Anyone who visited the line knows what a huge success it was. 

We deeply appreciate the tremendous outpouring of solidarity from the Marquette community, and that continued support means the world to us. Nurses are not calling for more picketing at this time, but we do need your help now and for the long haul as we advocate for quality care. 

As a next step, we are asking businesses and home owners to display window and yard signs from now until a new contract is signed. When out of town strikebreakers or out of state Duke LifePoint executives visit, even if they don’t identify themselves, they need to see constant reminders of the solidarity that was so evident on the strike line. MNA is printing signs, and of course, handmade signs are great too.  

Signs are a next step, not a last step. Thank you for standing with local nurses as we continue to work toward a fair contract that includes safe staffing language for our patients.”

If you are viewing this article after October 9th, the Michigan Nurses Association has printed signs available for display. You can learn more about them HERE.