MT CLEMENS, Mich. (WXYZ) — Workers at one of metro Detroit's largest hospitals walked off the job as they fight for a new contract. Union reps say they filed several unfair labor practice charges against McLaren Macomb as they tried to negotiate a new contract.
In total, nearly 700 workers hit the picket line at 7 a.m. Monday.
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It's a battle of attrition. The union representing the workers says they want a fair contract without further delay. McLaren Macomb says the union walked away from the table with no willingness to reach a reasonable agreement.
500 nurses and 200 support staff are among the employees set to strike. They plan to strike for three days, from 7 a.m. today to 7 a.m. Thursday.
The Office of Professional Employees International Union, or OPEIU Local 40, the representing union, says that workers overwhelmingly authorized the strike.
Union reps accuse McLaren Macomb of multiple National Labor Relations Act violations over the last two years. They say the hospital has more than a dozen unfair labor practice charges, including bad faith negotiating and threatening to lock out workers.
The union also says despite massive profits, the hospital continues to significantly underpay their workers and subsequently staff below required levels, which they say endangers both patients and nurses, and that a strike is they only way to ensure a fair contract.
Open Local 40 Vice President Terri Dagg-Barr released a statement that says in part: “We continue to stand up for our patients and our rights and remain incredibly disappointed that McLaren would rather spend outrageous sums on expensive replacements who don’t even know our hospital and systems than reach a fair contract with its own dedicated nurses.”
McLaren Macomb released their own statement, saying in part: “This is a truly unfortunate development as McLaren offered market-leading wages for nurses, nationally benchmarked staffing ratios, and protected quality health insurance and benefits for all employees covered by these contracts.”
The hospital also says that they will remain open during the strike and will use contract nurses in the meantime.
