Central Michigan nurses held an informational picket on Tuesday to call on McLaren to release information about the federal aid it has received and the availability of PPE.
Nurses said they’ve been frustrated with the management of McLaren Central Michigan both in terms of pandemic response and ongoing contract negotiations.
Christie Serniak is the President of the Michigan Nurses Association at McLaren Central Michigan. She said nurses have been without a contract for nearly eight months.
“Our goal is to communicate some of the difficulties that we have run into not only with the contract but with the lack of transparency provided to the nurses and the staff.”
Serniak said she’d like to see the hospital provide information to nurses about how federal funds are being used, if any have been received, and what the status of PPE is at the hospital.
“What are they doing with any potential federal funding that they are receiving and why aren’t they willing to be forthcoming with that information to alleviate any concerns that nurses and frontline workers may have that they will be provided with adequate supplies.”
A spokesperson for McLaren Central Michigan said they are hopeful to reach a mutually agreeable contract in the near future.
You can read their full statement below:
McLaren has worked with our bargaining units across our system since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. We’ve openly shared information about our operations, the challenges of restrictions on elective procedures, our plans for managing influxes of patients, and our supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE). Information has been shared through weekly update meetings, departmental meetings, and several union negotiation sessions held during the last two months. Productive, collaborative dialogue with all employees – including those represented by unions – is more critically important now than ever. We are hopeful we will reach a mutually agreeable contract in the very near future. Until that time, our focus will continue to be serving the patients who come to our hospital and entrust us with their care.