Big Win for University of Michigan Nurses

From the Detroit Free Press:

University of Michigan nurses approve contract with $5K bonuses, 22.5% raises over 4 years

By Christina Hall and Kristen Jordan Shamus

10/3/22

Michigan Medicine nurses have approved a four-year, $273 million contract with University of Michigan Health after months of working without a new agreement in place.

Nurses represented by the University of Michigan Professional Nurse Council, a local bargaining unit of the Michigan Nurses Association, approved the new contract that includes:

• A 22.5% raise during the four years of the contract.
• A $5,000 bonus for each nurse this year. Current nurses still employed at Michigan Medicine will receive a $2,000 retention bonus March 31, 2026.
• Elimination of mandatory overtime for most units, except for defined emergency situations.
• Expanded staffing guidelines.

Nurse practitioners will be in a new salary step model. All other nurses will receive a 7.5% pay raise in the first year. All bargaining unit members will receive a 6% pay increase in the second year, 5% increase in the third year and 4% in the fourth year, according to a release from the university.....

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I'm always glad to see "essential workers" getting well-deserved pay hikes and improvements in working conditions. Something like this needs to happen for Direct Service Providers who care for people with disabilities.