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Nurses who recently completed a 48-hour strike against UP Health System-Marquette are asking for community support in their battle for a new contract. The nurses say they’re trying to use the negotiation to address low hospital staffing levels that could endanger patient safety.
Hospital staff walked off the job Thursday morning, in what they promised would be a two-day strike. Union members who reported for work when the strike ended Saturday morning were turned away. Hospital officials said they had been obligated to promise five days’ pay to temporary replacements, and that at least most of the strikers would not be able to return to their jobs until Tuesday.
This statement was released today by Scott Balko, Operating Room RN and President of the UPHS Marquette RN Staff Council/MNA:
“On Thursday and Friday, MNA nurses at UPHS-Marquette took our fight for safe staffing to the picket line. Our strike ended Saturday morning at 6:59 AM. Anyone who visited the line knows what a huge success it was.
We deeply appreciate the tremendous outpouring of solidarity from the Marquette community, and that continued support means the world to us. Nurses are not calling for more picketing at this time, but we do need your help now and for the long haul as we advocate for quality care.
As a next step, we are asking businesses and home owners to display window and yard signs from now until a new contract is signed. When out of town strikebreakers or out of state Duke LifePoint executives visit, even if they don’t identify themselves, they need to see constant reminders of the solidarity that was so evident on the strike line. MNA is printing signs, and of course, handmade signs are great too.
Signs are a next step, not a last step. Thank you for standing with local nurses as we continue to work toward a fair contract that includes safe staffing language for our patients.”
