McLaren Macomb Hospital nurses, support staff strike over pay and staffing levels
McLaren Macomb employees on strike
Workers at McLaren Macomb are on strike Monday as they fight against what they call poor wages and unfair labor practices.
MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. (FOX 2) - Employees at McLaren Macomb Hospital are walking the picket line this week in a strike over pay and staffing levels that their union calls unsafe.
Nearly 700 workers, including nurses and support staff, began the three-day strike Monday morning.
What they're saying:
OPEIU Local 40, the union representing the workers, alleges that the hospital does not maintain safe staffing levels. The hospital is also accused of paying support staff low wages, a move that makes it difficult to retain qualified workers.
The union also accuses the hospital of participating in bad faith bargaining, threatening lockouts, and planning to bring in out-of-state workers to replace striking employees.
Among union demands include a set wage scale for various job classifications, fair and equitable overtime opportunities, and more.
The other side:
A hospital spokesperson said in a statement that replacement staff will be brought in during the strike to maintain patient care.
In that statement, the hospital calls the decision to strike "a truly regrettable development."
The hospital alleges that it has presented "an offer that includes a wage increase that creates a market-leading compensation package, nationally benchmarked staffing ratios, and qualified benefits."
According to the hospital, that offer includes a 15% pay raise over three years that would increase the top of the pay scale to more than $59 an hour, national benchmark staffing ratios, enhanced retention bonuses, and time-and-half overtime for nurses who pick up shifts after working 36 hours a week.
The Source: A press release from McLaren Macomb and new releases from OPEIU Local 40 were used in this report.