COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – There will be no nurses strike at ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital.
Hospital officials announced Thursday morning that a three year contract agreement reached last Friday with the Branch County Independent Nurses Association union bargaining team has been ratified by the union membership.
In a statement released by the hospital, ProMedica says the latest agreement restructures the distribution of the elements agreed to in the previous tentative agreements.
They say the new contract rewards hospital nurses fairly for a rural setting while considering the extreme financial challenges the hospital, like so many other hospitals, is facing due to the COVID pandemic fallout.
The statement went on to say the new contract reflects ProMedica’s continued commitment to nursing recruitment and retention by regularly starting nurses at salaries commensurate with their years of experience. According to the hospital, their nurse turnover rate is well below the national average and they will continue to strive for even greater nurse retention.
“We are pleased we have reached our shared goal of agreeing on new contract terms that reflect the priorities of both parties — like patient safety,” said Alan Sattler, president, ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital. “We value the work our nurses and other care team members do each and every day, and we are committed to supporting them as we all work together to provide the community with high-quality, safe, compassionate care.”
The 110 members of the Branch County Independent Nurses Association authorized their union leadership on January 18 to call a strike at ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital.
The union membership has rejected three contract proposals brought forth by ProMedica. The previous two and a half year contract for the registered nurses expired December 31, 2022. The two sides have been bargaining since September 28, and a federal mediator joined the talks in November.
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