Sparrow Hospital in downtown Lansing | Photo by Anna Gustafson
A tentative contract agreement reached Tuesday between the union representing nurses and health care professionals at the University of Michigan Health-Sparrow has averted a planned strike set to begin Monday.
The Professional Employee Council of Sparrow Hospital-Michigan Nurses Association (PECSH-MNA) says its bargaining team had been negotiating since August and had added bargaining dates this past Friday, Sunday and Monday in an attempt to reach a deal.
“We are pleased to have reached an agreement that was built on the strength and solidarity of our union, as well as overwhelming community support,” said Dexter Baker, RN, co-chair of the elected PECSH-MNA bargaining team. “Our fellow members have been very passionate about their priorities throughout these months of bargaining. Our union is a democracy, and we look forward to having our fellow members vote on whether to accept this contract agreement, which we wholeheartedly recommend.”
A ratification vote is expected in the coming weeks.
If approved by members, the three-year contract will cover more than 2,000 PECSH-MNA-represented nurses and health care workers in more than 50 other classifications including pharmacists, lab technicians, social workers and therapists.
“We are grateful to both bargaining teams, who have worked tirelessly since August to reach an agreement that best supports our nurses and health care professionals and our mission to provide patients with safe, quality care,” said a statement from UMH Sparrow. “We are confident this agreement will help to attract and retain top talent across our units and ensure leading wages and benefits for our team members.”
According to PECSH-MNA, highlights of the agreement include:
-
Competitive wage increases, with most members receiving between a 20% and 32% raise during the term of the agreement.
-
Large increases in differentials including the night shift, evening shift, and weekend differentials.
-
Significant ratification bonus.
-
A guaranteed healthcare plan that is equal or better to the union plan the employer is ending.
-
Permanent decrease in the cost of members’ premium contribution to BCBS starting in 2026.
-
New language guaranteeing no permanent replacement of positions with subcontractors (agency) and maintenance of open postings for these positions.
-
Extending COVID protections for members for the duration of the new agreement.
-
Increased benefits for employees injured by workplace violence.
The previous three-year contract, reached in 2021, expired on Oct. 30. In December, union members voted almost unanimously (98.7%) to authorize their elected bargaining team to call a strike if they deemed it necessary. On Jan. 7, the team announced a five-day strike to begin Monday.
This is the first contract that PECSH-MNA has negotiated since University of Michigan Health bought Sparrow for $800 million in 2023.
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX