Over the past three months, representatives from Michigan Medicine and MNA/UMPNC have been meeting to negotiate a new contract for nurses at Michigan Medicine. Our hope is that we can reach an agreement very soon to limit the disruption of having an expired contract. The current contract expired on June 30, 2022. Below are details of the current Michigan Medicine proposal, which increases our investment in our nursing teams, and further addresses operational improvements.
Our current proposal includes the following elements:
- For Framework and RSAM nurses, certified nurse midwives, CRNAs and CNSs: Increases of 5%/5%/5%/5% for each year of the contract (based off of framework level C). Total – 20% across-the-board increases over term of agreement.
- A new salary step model for nurse practitioners that will enable those practicing on blended teams with PAs to be compensated in a consistent fashion as their PA colleagues along with annual increases and lump sum payments that average 20% over the term of the agreement.
- Time limited offer: $5000 signing bonus for all bargaining unit members, payable in two installments if a final tentative agreement is reached by July 14, 2022.
- Introduction of a new charge nurse differential
- Increases to shift and weekend differentials beginning in FY24.
- Elimination of mandatory overtime within the next 24 months or sooner.
We are pleased to make these investments that will take the average nurse salary by year four to $121,541/year. This does not include on-call, incentive programs or shift differentials.
We know there have been questions about recruitment, and we are working every day to maintain staffing ratios at the 75th percentile compared to others across the country. Despite a nationwide staffing shortage, Michigan Medicine is on track to have a record-setting year for nurse recruitment, with 1,058 nurses hired from July 2021 to May 2022. These efforts all contribute to Michigan Medicine’s current vacancy rate of 5% compared to a national average vacancy rate of 17%.
We also think it is important to emphasize that, through teamwork and partnership with all of you, we remain recognized as one of the highest quality health systems in the country. We are one of only 8 hospitals that have received the following safety honors concurrently:
- Leapfrog Safety Grade – Consecutive Grade A since 2012
- CMS – 5-star rating
- US News & World Report - #1 in Michigan for both adult & children’s hospitals in 2022-2023
In addition, Michigan Medicine achieved its second Nurse Magnet designation in FY22, something only ~10% of US hospitals have achieved.
We know there is a sense of urgency because all nurse salary increases are on hold, per the existing contract, until a new agreement is reached with MNA/UMPNC. The increases cannot be retroactive. We are deeply committed to achieving a quick resolution so that we can recognize and reward our nurses with these planned increases.
We want to express our deepest gratitude for the extraordinary work that you and all our nurses do every day on behalf of our patients and Michigan Medicine. We hope to reach a tentative agreement in the very near future to ensure that all of you continue to receive salary, benefits and career development opportunities without disruption.