Today Michigan Medicine Headlines posted an article about how much they “value” Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants as a “team” of APPs. The article focuses on a new leadership structure for the two job categories. “The restructuring project will bring these professionals together into one dynamic, disciplined organization which will follow a service line structure...”
Yet, on Wednesday, management presented their wage proposal for Nurse Practitioners with salaries that are $10, 000.00 to $25,000.00 LESS than PAs. Last year, the Physician Assistant’s Union (UPAMM) won a contract that made long overdue wage increases for their members. In their own statements, Michigan Medicine acknowledges that NPs and PAs do comparable work and yet brought a shameful offer that has egregiously disproportionate rates of pay.
MNA-UMPNC has been advocating for equal pay for equal work and our research shows nationally that both PA and NP wages are within $1,000.00 of each other. Management has chosen to disrespect the profession of Nurse Practitioners with this insulting offer.
The Employer’s proposed annual wage increases for RNs are now at 5%, 4%, 4% and 3%. However, these numbers would take two years to catch up to the CURRENT rate of inflation and are still not enough.
As we shared in our last News update, management has no interest in discussing staffing ratios and claims ending mandatory overtime would be illegal (despite the fact that other contracts across the country have the same provisions). They actually proposed making it easier to require mandatory overtime and making it so that volunteering to work beyond your shift will no longer count towards your four-hour individual limit, all while taking steps to erode our CSR department.
Management has stated they need to continue to mandate staff for emergencies, even though they are using MOT as a staffing tool for open shifts. We are dedicated to negotiating fair ways to address coverage for emergencies, however, management has not provided any concrete proposals that move toward ending the abuse of MOT.
It is clear that management would rather work nurses to exhaustion, putting our patients and licenses at risk than bring any real solutions to the table. If Michigan Medicine continues to refuse to bargain on nurse priorities, we will need to be ready to stand together to fight for safe staffing, equal pay for equal work, an end to mandatory overtime abuses, and wages that keep up with inflation.
Our next action will be the delivery of our United We Bargain Petition to the U of M Regents. RSVP to join us proudly wearing RED at the Regents Meeting on June 16, 2022.
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