Michigan: Sparrow Hospital reaches tentative deal with nurses' union

allnurses Guide · Dec 1, 2010

sparrow nurses ratify contract; strike averted

nurses, pharmacists, social workers and other unionized professionals at sparrow hospital have voted to accept a new contract.

the three-year contract, approved by roughly 75 percent of the michigan nurses association members who voted monday and tuesday, averts a strike that had been looming at the hospital.

earlier in november, the 2,100 union-represented workers voted down another proposed labor agreement....

..."staffing issues were adequately addressed for the ratification," mna spokesman bob kolt said.

in a statement, sparrow hospital also expressed satisfaction with the new deal.

"this is a landmark agreement that provides benchmark level wages, benefits and staffing levels to our (registered nurses) and other professional associates. it ranks sparrow as one of the top hospitals in michigan in providing a quality work environment for our nurses and other professional staff," it read.

the nurse-to-patient ratios outlined in the new contract will benefit not only workers but the greater community, kolt said.

"nurses and health care professionals have put the needs of their patients before their own individual interests by agreeing to modest wage increases, increases in health care costs and a reduction to pension," said jeff breslin, president of the professional employees council of sparrow hospital and the michigan nurses association.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20101201/news03/12010323/sparrow-nurses-ratify-contract-strike-averted