UPDATE: UPHS-Marquette administration has released the following statement regarding the RN/tech 'practice strike' next week:
At UP Health System – Marquette, providing safe, high-quality care to the people of the Upper Peninsula is a team effort, made possible by the skill, compassion and dedication of our nurses, techs and the support of our entire staff.
While we respect the MNA’s right to demonstrate, our focus is on continuing to negotiate new collective bargaining agreements with the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) that recognize the efforts of our registered nurses and technical employees and ensure our commitment to quality patient care for our community. We have bargaining scheduled for next week with the MNA for our RNs, and our goal is to reach a new agreement prior to contract expiration at the end of the month. We also have bargaining scheduled for early September with the MNA for our technical employees, and our goal is also to reach a new agreement prior to contract expiration. We will continue to negotiate in good faith as we work to achieve these goals.
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MARQUETTE, MI— UPHS-Marquette RNs and techs are holding a “practice strike” in Marquette on Monday.
The groups say they want to show Lifepoint how serious they are about getting fair contracts.
About 600 workers are in bargaining over two separate contracts—one for the RN Staff Council and one for the Marquette Ancillary Staff and Technologists. The two unions are part of the Michigan Nurses Association.
Lifepoint Health, which operates UPHS-Marquette, is under the umbrella of the Apollo Global Management private equity firm.
Nurses and techs say they’re advocating for solutions to the staffing crisis at the hospital, including contract protections against unreasonable workloads. They also want competitive compensation to attract and retain the healthcare professionals needed to provide the community with safe, quality care. In addition, MAST members are worried about their health insurance, which is costlier and has less coverage than the nurses’ plan.
Background and details of the “practice strike”
• MAST’s contract expires on Sept. 8; the nurses’ contract expires Sept. 1 (this is the second of two extensions)
• The RNs began bargaining March 18; the next bargaining dates are Aug. 22 and 23. MAST bargaining started March 19; the next bargaining dates are Sept. 2 and 3.
The ”practice strike” will be held Monday at 4:30 p.m. at Marquette’s Harlow Park. It is not a work stoppage.
UPHS-Marquette did not immediately return a request for comment.
