With negotiations underway, UPHS-Marquette nurses, techs will rally June 16th

About 600 workers are demanding fair contracts that put U.P. patients, not Tennessee profits, first

MARQUETTE – With contract negotiations underway, UPHS-Marquette RNs and techs will hold a community rally on June 16. 

“Lifepoint executives should be listening to healthcare professionals who actually do the work of providing care for people all across our region – not their shareholders,” said Christina Hanson, RN, president of the RN Staff Council. “It’s very troubling that Lifepoint executives have not responded to our proposal for safer staffing. Our community deserves better. Staffing and other decisions should be based on U.P. patients, not Tennessee profits.”

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 (MAST).  The two unions are part of the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA), consisting of about 600 professionals combined. Lifepoint Health, which owns UPHS-Marquette, operates under the umbrella of the multibillion-dollar Apollo Global Management private equity firm. 

The workers are worried not just about fair compensation to attract and retain healthcare professionals, but also about their health insurance. Both groups have grievances pending about Lifepoint’s actions that have taken a huge toll on them; the corporation tried to make RNs take an inferior plan in the fall and imposed changes that decreased care options. Lifepoint also changed MAST members’ insurance to a plan with less coverage and more costs without proper notification. 

Now, in negotiations, LifePoint is again pushing to replace the health insurance that RNs have had for decades. While negotiations for the RNs are farther along, MAST members say Lifepoint’s actions toward the RNs at the bargaining table are very concerning. 

“We want to send a message to Lifepoint executives that they should be putting U.P. patients over their own profits,” said Josh Bowman, a medical laboratory scientist at the hospital, president of MAST and an MNA board member. “Lifepoint executives are cutting corners on healthcare workers’ health insurance solely to increase shareholders’ profits. We are united with our RN colleagues in standing up for what’s right for workers, patients, and the U.P.”

Background and details of the event
•    MAST’s contract expires on Sept. 8; the nurses’ contract had been set to expire May 31 but they agreed to a one-month extension to July 1. 
•    The RNs' bargaining began March 18 and resumes June 17. MAST bargaining started March 19 and resumes June 23.

WHAT: MNA rally for fair contracts
WHO: UPHS-Marquette registered nurses and technologists and community members
WHEN: 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 16; member leaders speak around 5:40 p.m.
WHERE: Harlow Park, 100 W. Washington St., Marquette 
VISUALS: Nurses and technologists in red chanting, holding signs

Note: This is not a work stoppage; RNs and techs participating will be on their own time

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.
 

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Contact: Dawn Kettinger, dawn.kettinger@minurses.org, 517-721-9688 (cell)