MNA reaches tentative agreement with McLaren Central for new contract

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. (WNEM) - Nurses at McLaren Central have reached a tentative agreement Friday for a new three-year contract with the hospital administration, according to the Michigan Nurses Association.

The MNA said that nurses had previously voted to give their bargaining team the ability to call for a strike. The new agreement protects nurses’ limits to mandatory overtime, improves wages and expands the ways nurses can express concerns about staffing.

The 100 nurses that work at the Mt. Pleasant hospital have been working under an expired contract since November, the MNA said.

“After many long hours of negotiations, we have reached a fair deal that we hope will help us recruit and retain nurses at our hospital,” said Jessica Harradine, RN, president of the Michigan Nurses Association local bargaining unit at the hospital. “Now, nurses will have a chance to review the agreement and vote together democratically on whether to ratify it. I plan to vote yes and encourage my coworkers to do the same.”

The MNA said a ratification vote will be held Feb. 22. No other details will be released until after the membership has a chance to review and vote on the agreement.

Robert David, the McLaren Central Michigan president and CEO released this statement Friday evening:

“We are pleased to announce that following extensive negotiations, McLaren Central Michigan and Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) agreed to terms on a three-year successor labor contract, reaching a tentative agreement late Friday night to avoid a potential strike.

Ratification of the agreement by the more than 100 hospital nurses is scheduled for Feb. 22, 2023.

The bargaining committees have worked hard for more than six (6) months to reach an agreement that provides our nurses with market-competitive wages and benefits that address nurses’ concerns. We believe the new agreement also allows us to continue delivering the high-quality care our community expects from their community hospital.”

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