After 18 rounds of bargaining over the course of six months, the nurses’ union at MyMichigan Medical Center Sault have voted to ratify a new contract. The contract will support around 120 nurses at the hospital.
“This journey was worth it to set up a better future for local nurses and our hospital, which ultimately means a better future for everyone in the eastern U.P.,” said Colleen Waucaush, a registered nurse and president of the Michigan Nurses Association, in a news release.
Earlier this month, the union representing nurses at the medical center voted to authorize another strike heading into the latest round of negotiations, but this time it was for an indefinite period. Nurses went on a 5-day strike back in April.
Not many details of the new contract have been released, but a statement from the Michigan Nurses Association said the new contract will see wage increases that move the wage scale ceiling beyond $50 an hour when the contract expires.
A spokesperson for the union declined to comment further on more specific provisions laid out in the new contract.
“This agreement underscores our commitment to valuing and supporting the critical role our nurses and all of our staff have in delivering safe, excellent care that we always have provided,” said Kevin Kevin Kalchik, president of MyMichigan Medical Center Sault in a written statement.
The new contract expires on December 31, 2027.
