News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

MyMichigan Alma nurses reach a tentative deal

MyMichigan Alma nurses rally for better contract bargaining in December.
Courtesy Photo
/
Michigan Nurses Association
MyMichigan Alma nurses rally for better contract bargaining in December.

Nurses at MyMichigan Alma have reached a tentative agreement for a new three-year contract. This comes after the union authorized a strike two weeks ago.

According to a press release, the new deal includes limits to mandatory overtime, competitive wages to recruit and retain nurses, and protecting and improving contractual staffing language.

In a written statement, Shenan Shinabarger, MyMichigan nurse and the president of the local union, said she’s hopeful the contract will be ratified.

“When we work together in solidarity as a union, we can achieve something that would never have been possible if it was just individuals working alone," she said.

In another press release, MyMichigan Alma President Marita Hattem-Schiffman said she is pleased with the negotiations and grateful to the bargaining teams.

“Rural hospitals like ours continue to face significant financial headwinds as we work to recover from the economic effects of the pandemic," she said. "We appreciate the nurses taking those realities into account during negotiations."

The union will hold a ratification vote on the new contract Thursday, Feb. 16.

Ben Jodway is an intern, serving as a reporter for WCMU Public Media and the Pioneer in Big Rapids. He has covered Indigenous communities and political extremism in Michigan.