Munson nurses ratify new, three-year contract

Traverse City, MI – RNs at Munson Medical Center have voted to ratify a new, three-year contract with their hospital’s administration. The voting happened on Thursday and Friday of last week with the results shared with nurses at the hospital after ballots were tabulated late in the evening on Friday.

“We are thrilled to have ratified our new contract and to be able to enact immediate improvements that will benefit both nurses and our community,” said Shannon Gillespie, RN, and president of the Traverse City Munson Nurses Association (TCMNA), the local bargaining unit of the Michigan Nurses Association at Munson Medical Center.

Highlights on the new agreement include:

  • A staffing committee with nurse representation charged with creating staffing guidelines for the Medical Center to follow;
  • Average wage increases of nearly 16% over three years, where the most experienced nurses will be making over $50/hour by the third year of the contract, in addition to retention bonuses;
  • Protections to ensure safe standards when floating nurses between units.

The agreement comes after four months of negotiations between nurses who were elected by their colleagues to be on the bargaining team and Munson’s administration. Prior to reaching a deal, a supermajority of nurses and over a thousand community members signed onto a petition encouraging the Medical Center to negotiate a fair contract.

“We could never have reached this deal without the amazing solidarity of nurses throughout the hospital and our community’s support,” said Angie Sheffer, an RN and member of the bargaining team. “This truly shows how meaningful it is to be able to speak with a collective voice together as a union.”

Now that nurses have voted to ratify the contract, it takes effect immediately. RNs will be working with the Medical Center in the coming weeks to ensure a smooth roll out of the new provisions including the creation of a staffing committee.

“It has been over five years since we first voted to unionize, and the progress that we have made in that time is incredible,” said Tanya Jenkins, RN, and bargaining team member. “I can’t wait to see what the next five years hold.”

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

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Contact: Amelia Dornbush, 517-896-7478

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