Nurses at Munson Medical Center in Traverse City have ratified a new three-year contract.
The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the deal, which came after months of talks. The nurses had been without a contract since March 10.
Their union, the Michigan Nurses Association, said in a statement that the contract includes raises of 5 percent per year for each of the contract’s three years.
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The statement also says the contract has, quote, “guardrails on AI and technology,” though it doesn’t give further detail.
AI had been an issue in talks, with the local union, the Traverse City Munson Nurses Association, concerned about it superseding human judgment or taking jobs.
Nurses held a town hall earlier this spring to discuss the state of their talks, and support could be seen in Traverse City, where some residents had signs of support for the nurses on their front lawns in the city's Central Neighborhood, not far from the hospital.
“We could not have gotten to this point without our community supporting us and lifting us up,” said a statement from Laura Nilsson, president of the local and co-chair of the bargaining committee. “We want to thank everyone for all the support. Please know that it has meant the world to us.”
Munson Healthcare also applauded the deal, saying it represents a dedication to regional communities shared by both the hospital and the nurses.
Chief Nursing Officer Jenn Standfest called it a significant investment in the workforce.
"By offering increased wages; competitive benefits; guardrails and education for new technology; and a safe workplace for our employees we can continue to provide the highest quality care our patients expect and deserve," Standfest said in a statement. "We appreciate the constructive engagement, commitment to listening and mutual respect shown toward one another throughout the bargaining process."
IPR's Claire Keenan-Kurgan contributed to this report.
