Contract negotiations continued over the past two weeks as representatives from Michigan Medicine and MNA/UMPNC exchanged counterproposals on a variety of topics including staffing and scheduling, overtime and over-appointment, variable activity, and paid time off, among others.
Michigan Medicine was hopeful a tentative agreement could be reached prior to July 14, which would have guaranteed a $5,000 signing bonus for every member of the bargaining unit. Unfortunately, an agreement was not reached by that time, so the signing bonus is now an open subject of bargaining.
Although an agreement was not reached this week, Michigan Medicine remains committed to our nurses and to continuing to bargain in good faith with MNA/UMPNC. Michigan Medicine is also committed to:
- Safely eliminating mandatory overtime
- Salary increases of 5%/5%/5%/5% for each year of the contract for Framework and RSAM nurses, certified nurse midwives, CRNAs and CNSs (based off of framework level C)
- Total – 20% across-the-board increases over term of a 4-year agreement
- A new salary step model for all NPs that includes annual increases and lump sum payments that average a 20% increase over the term of the four-year agreement
- Maintaining current benefits including health care premiums and retirement match
- Introduction of a new charge nurse differential
- Increases to shift and weekend differentials beginning in FY24
FAQs:
Q: Is the $5,000 signing bonus still available?
A: The $5,000 signing bonus is no longer part of the proposed contract but is now subject to bargaining. This means it can still be negotiated as part of the final agreement.
Q: Is Michigan Medicine proposing a limit on incremental PTO?
A: A previous proposal made by Michigan Medicine did include a limit on the amount of incremental PTO hours nurses could use. After listening to feedback from UMPNC, we have removed that limit from the proposal.
Q: Is the proposed salary model for NPs only offered to those who are on blended teams with PAs?
A: The new salary model proposed by Michigan Medicine will be for all NPs, not just those who are on blended teams with PAs.
Q: Why are other APRNs not included on the new salary model?
A: Other APRN roles (CRNAs, CNSs, certified nurse midwives) are already in a salary step model so they will remain on that existing model. Nurse practitioners were not previously part of a step model, which is why the new salary model was proposed.
Q: Is Michigan Medicine introducing an attendance article?
A: A new attendance article is no longer being proposed. Our current proposal retains a problem-solving process for attendance concerns.
Q: Can you explain the “average salary” figures that Michigan Medicine announced?
A: Salaries for nurses at Michigan Medicine are determined by the contract, but individual salaries vary based on job category, years of experience, and seniority within the organization. For example, nurses with advanced practice certifications (NPs, CRNAs, and others) or other specialty certifications have higher salary ranges that are tied to the advanced degrees. Nurses with 10 years of experience also will have a higher salary than a nurse with five years of experience.
Currently, the average salary of all nurses at Michigan Medicine is $99,991.87. This number includes all Framework and RSAM nurses, and advanced practice providers. The most recent proposal from Michigan Medicine includes 5% increases each year for a proposed four-year contract, totaling a 20% increase over the next four years. This increases the average salary for all nurses in the bargaining unit to $121,541 in four years.
Actual salaries for nurses will vary from this average, and may either be higher or lower, based on years of experience, seniority in the bargaining unit, and advanced practice degrees.