Members of the Michigan Nurses Association at Beacon Kalamazoo (Mich.) Hospital have approved a new labor contract.
The agreement, ratified by 97% of voting nurses Feb. 12, covers 378 nurses at the hospital, according to the facility, which is part of South Bend, Ind.-based Beacon Health System.
According to the MNA, the contract includes:
- 14% total raises over three years, plus incentive pay for extra shifts
- Guaranteed coverage of mental health issues, lower costs for out-of-network services and a return to employer-paid disability insurance
- Improvements to paid time off
- Limits on on-call duty
“The new contract eases [insurance] burdens and makes using our insurance easier and more affordable,” Lori Batzloff, RN, president of the MNA union at the hospital and a member of the bargaining team, said in a release.
Beacon Health System also praised the agreement.
“We deeply value our nurses and are pleased with the collaborative negotiations,” the organization said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “We remain committed to providing exceptional care to the patients and community we serve.”
Negotiations between Beacon and nurses began Oct. 2, and nurses had been working without a contract since Dec. 15, according to the union. The agreement runs through Dec. 14, 2028.
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