THREE RIVERS, MI – Registered nurses at Three Rivers Health-Beacon Health System have ratified a new contract that will help recruit and retain nurses and enable them to provide safe, quality care.
Nurses had been working under a contract that expired March 31. The nurses, members of the Michigan Nurses Association, voted Friday to approve the tentative agreement reached between them and the hospital.
“We’re pleased to have achieved a strong contract that will make our hospital a better, safer place and support us in providing the best care possible,” said Brandy Shoup, an emergency department nurse and president of the local union. “Through our solidarity and community support, we made it clear that Beacon Health must invest in Three Rivers. Now we can attract more nurses to work at the hospital and ensure more nurses continue working in our community.”
The new 3-year contract includes:
- Wage increases of an average 12 percent the first year and three percent each of the next two years;
- Higher shift differentials for afternoons and nights;
- Phaseout of the practice of calling in nurses from home to work mandatory overtime; and
- Improved Paid Time Off policies, especially for nurses with long tenure at the hospital.
“Nurses always put our patients first but we need time to be able to care of our families, too,” said Shoup. “This contract invests in nurses and provides the resources and protections we need.”
Approximately 75 nurses work at Three Rivers Health-Beacon Health System. About 80 nurses and community members held an informational picket on May 19 to call attention to their campaign for a fair contract that invests in nurses and protects patients.
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The Michigan Nurses Association 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.