Two nurses' unions are picketing together in solidarity for a fair contract and better working conditions at McLaren Health Care.
Hospital and home care nurses with McLaren Health marched along Forest Road Monday in front of McLaren's new hospital building. They chanted slogans in support of the unions. Cars passing by the rally honked their horns in support.
The two groups of McLaren nurses are represented by the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 459 and the Michigan Nurses Association. They say nurses are short-staffed and working excessive overtime, with some having to work 12 days in a row. That means fewer staff must treat more patients, which puts their health at risk.
Krystal Mannor, a registered nurse with McLaren's post-anesthesia care unit, said the goal of the informational picket was to engage with residents and educate them about the negotiations.
“Nurses have been advocating for you and your loved ones, and we're just looking for the community to reach back and advocate for us as we work on a fair contract,” Mannor said.
The contract for McLaren's home care nurses ended in February, and the hospital nurses' contract ended on Sept. 30.
The nurses hope to reach an agreement that will improve their pay, address staffing concerns, and end mandatory overtime.
Michelle Munson-McCorry is a registered nurse at McLaren Home Care. She says nurses are stretched thin because they’re working long hours and paid less than other home care agencies.
“We can't maintain nurses right now because of work life balance issues," Munson-McCorry said. "Who wants to work a mandatory like 40 to 60 hours a week if you have a family?”
The negotiations come afterSparrow Health System announced hundreds of layoffs, citing a loss of $90 million for the first half of the year.
McLaren Greater Lansing President and CEO Kirk Ray said in a statement that the healthcare industry is facing staffing and financial losses across the nation. The statement added the unions are trying to gain bargaining leverage by spreading "sensational, out-of-context information" with the media.
Ray said the two sides have made considerable progress and that the hospital will continue negotiating in good faith with the nurses for safety and fair compensation.