Sault nurses authorize bargaining committee to call for strike

Nurses at MyMichigan Medical Center Sault voted last night to authorize their bargaining team to call for an unfair labor practice strike should they deem it necessary.

The Michigan Nurses Association union would provide a 10–day notice to the hospital before any strike begins.

Nurses have been working under an expired contract since January 1, and according to the union, MyMichigan has so far refused to provide any bargaining dates before April 18.

Despite 12 bargaining sessions, MyMichigan and the union have been unable to reach a contract agreement. Still at issue are pay, health insurance, and PTO benefits.

The vote to authorize a potential strike comes on the heels of a rally held by the nurses and members of the community outside the hospital, after which MyMichigan still would not budge on speeding up negotiations.

“MyMichigan’s executives in Midland make millions. Now that we have shown that we’re willing to hold them accountable, we hope that they will start acting in good faith. If they don’t, they will have no one to blame but themselves when they get notice of our intention to strike,” Stacey Duchin, an ER nurse and member of the nurses’ negotiating team said.