ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — After working without a contract since July 1, nurses at the University of Michigan have voted to ratify a new agreement.
Voting on the new contract this week concluded tonight, with members of the Michigan Nurses Association-University of Michigan Professional Nurse Council (MNA-UMPNC) ratififying the new contract, which runs through March 31, 2026, effective immediately.
The new contract includes an end to mandatory overtime aside from emergency situations, enforceable nurse-to-patient ratios that vary by unit, and wage increases over the next four years.
Those wage increases include:
- a 7.5 percent increase in 2022
- a 6 percent increase in 2023
- a 5 percent increase in 2024
- a 4 percent increase in 2025, with a total of 22.5 percent over the life of the contract
- a separate new wage scale for nurse practitioners
- $5,000 ratification bonus and a $2,000 retention bonus.
This new contract comes after 6 months of negotiations and a tenative agreement made in late September.
“This contract provides important investments in nurses and protections for patients that MNA-UMPNC nurses and our community fought hard for over the past six months,” said Renee Curtis, RN, president of MNA-UMPNC. “We’re excited about being able to hold the employer accountable for safe nurse-to-patient ratios and end dangerous mandatory overtime. Strong wage increases and bonuses will help attract and retain the nurses we need to take care of our patients.”
“We are grateful that our nurses choose to work and build their careers at University of Michigan Health,” said Marschall Runge, M.D., Ph.D., CEO, Michigan Medicine and Dean of the U-M Medical School. “We are pleased to offer a very competitive package that recognizes the value our nurses bring to our patients and our organization.”
“We thank all the teams who worked tirelessly over the last few months to bargain for a fair agreement that reflects the expertise and commitment of our nurses, and our shared interest in moving University of Michigan Health forward together,” said U-M Health President David Miller, M.D.
