Lapeer nurses file federal labor charge against McLaren

Changes have added significant duties to the nurses’ workloads

LAPEER, MI –  Michigan Nurses Association nurses at McLaren Lapeer Region have filed a federal unfair labor practice charge, alleging that management has added significant duties to the nurses’ workloads without engaging in collective bargaining with union representatives as required. 

The charge states that McLaren administrators made the following changes:
•    Shifting responsibility for obtaining and preparing certain medications away from pharmacy and to the nurses
•    Shifting responsibility for drawing blood from patients away from phlebotomists and to the nurses, despite an agreement not to do so
•    Shifting responsibility for certain patient assessments away from the employees who have historically done them, including social workers, to the nurses

“It’s sickening that McLaren continues to cut corners by depleting other departments and forcing nurses to pick up those tasks, taking nurses away from our efforts to provide skilled care to patients and keep them safe in the hospital,” said Lapeer RN Ashley Witmer, president of the MNA union at the hospital. “We are standing up to the greedy McLaren executives who care more about increasing their profits than doing what’s right for our community.”

The next step is for the National Labor Relations Board to investigate the charge. The charge was filed with the federal agency Aug. 28. 

McLaren’s actions come as the nurses are advocating for a fair contract; negotiations have been ongoing since March 11 and resume Sept. 11. The contract expired May 9. The two sides are far apart on key issues.

The nurses are demanding that McLaren put patients over profits; McLaren Health CEO Phil Incarnati is getting almost $12 million a year in compensation, an increase of 33% over 3 years. Yet McLaren refuses to invest in nurses and basic repairs at the hospital remain unaddressed. 

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