Beacon Kalamazoo nurses approve new contract

Includes wins on raises, insurance and PTO

KALAMAZOO – Union nurses at Beacon Kalamazoo Hospital (formerly Ascension Borgess) voted overwhelmingly Thursday (Feb. 12) to ratify a new union contract that includes competitive raises, insurance improvements, and protection of other benefits.
 
“Because union nurses stood strong together, we won a strong contract with competitive wages that will retain nurses, plus improvements to the benefits we need to take care of ourselves and our families,” said Lori Batzloff, RN, president of the Michigan Nurses Association union at the hospital and a member of the bargaining team. “Nurses have encountered pervasive problems trying to use our health insurance since Beacon took over. The new contract eases those burdens and makes using our insurance easier and more affordable. 

“We were pleased with the collaborative nature of the negotiations,” Batzloff said. “We believe that by working together with Beacon, we will once again be the premier hospital in Kalamazoo.”

The contract vote passed with 97% voting yes. Negotiations between Beacon and the nurses’ elected bargaining team began Oct. 2. The nurses had been working without a contract since Dec. 15. The new contract, which runs through Dec. 14, 2028, includes:
  

• Raises that total 14 percent over the life of the contract, plus incentive pay for all extra shifts that nurses pick up.
• Improvements to the nurses’ health insurance, including guaranteed coverage of mental health issues and lower costs for out-of-network services, as well as a return to employer-paid disability insurance.
• Improvements to the nurses’ paid time off, including fending off changes Beacon forced on non-union employees.
• Limits on on-call duty.

“A strong contract like this is possible because all of us Beacon Kalamazoo nurses showed our union strength and solidarity,” said Nate Hoffman, RN, vice-president of the local union and a bargaining team member. “Without a union, an employer can cut benefits severely and shortchange nurses on compensation. Our new contract is a great example of the union difference.” 

The Michigan Nurses Association is the largest union and professional association of registered nurses and healthcare professionals in Michigan. MNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United and the AFL-CIO.

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