After more than a year on strike, registered nurses at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital in Grand Blanc have voted to ratify a new contract deal that includes a 13% wage adjustment, nurse-to-patient staffing ratios and seniority rights.
The nurses, who are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 332, voted 230 in favor of ratifying the deal and 165 opposed it, according to the union's Facebook page.
"After 411 days, our strike has officially ended!" the Facebook post said. "Throughout every challenge, our nurses stood united and strong. We are proud of every nurse who demonstrated courage, resilience, and determination. The strike may be over, but our fight continues."
In a statement, Henry Ford Health said the union accepted
the hospital's best, last offer on a new, three-year contract, which includes:
- The 13% wage boost, which will realign the nurses' pay to match the market and the health system. They also will get annual raises consistent with what’s offered at other Henry Ford Health hospitals.
- New weekend, critical and off-shift pay rates to ensure staffing is available when needed.
- Maintaining nurse-to-patient staffing ratios included in previous Teamsters Local 332 contracts.
- Guarantees for seniority rights for striking union members.
“We’re thrilled at the prospect of welcoming our valued team members back to work and look forward to working side by side with them to provide the high-quality care and service our communities count on,” said Henry Ford Genesys Hospital Interim President Gwen Sandefur.
Dana Jay, a spokesperson for Henry Ford Health, said representatives from its labor team and the Teamsters Local 332 are meeting this week to negotiate the terms for the unionized nurses’ return to work.
"We don’t know yet how many wish to return," Jay said. "Our priority is to bring nurses back to their prior positions and we hope to have a position for everyone who wants to return. Those returning will go through orientation and training on systems and procedures introduced over the past year. If we reach a return-to-work agreement this week, we could welcome the first group back as early as next week."
Henry Ford says the new contract also adds:
- A shared governance council that gives frontline nurses a stronger voice in decisions affecting patient care, nursing practice, quality, safety and the work environment.
- Hospital-based staffing committees made up of bedside nurses and nurse leaders who directly inform staffing practices.
- Self-scheduling that empowers nurses to work together to create schedules that support patient care and team needs.
- Expanded use of the health system’s internal staffing pool to provide additional support.
In late September, some of the nurses who worked at the Grand Blanc hospital during the strike filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board, asking it to decertify the Teamsters Local 332 union. The nurses, who are represented by attorneys from the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, said they no longer want to be members of the union and suggest Teamsters Local 332 is blocking a decertification election.
The Detroit Free Press left messages for Teamsters Local 332 President Dan Glass and the spokesperson for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Monday, Oct. 19, but did not get a response.
Contact Kristen Shamus: kshamus@freepress.com. Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Strike ends at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital. Nurses ratify new contract
