Sault nurses officially go on strike
SAULT STE. MARIE — Early on Monday morning, dozens of MyMichigan Medical Center Sault nurses lined up outside of the hospital with their picket signs, prepared to dig in for a weeklong strike.
The nurses are hoping the strike will bring an end to three and a half months of negotiations as they campaign for better wages and benefits.
“We have gotten lots of honking passersbys. I think we’re going to get lots of support out here," said Registered Nurse Jillian LeBlanc.
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The nurses, who have been working under an expired contract since the end of 2023, are asking for fair wages comparable to other area hospitals and a return to the benefits they had under War Memorial Hospital.
In an effort to retain enough nurses to safely staff the hospital without closing beds and turning patients away, the nurses organized an informational picket in March. After negotiations continued to stall, the group authorized a strike.
“If we continue going like this we’re not going to have nurses that stay long term in Chippewa County and it’s going to be detrimental to our community," said LeBlanc. “We are doing this to recruit and retain nursing staff. We're not doing this to be mean or deceitful. We know what we need to get nurses here and to stay here.”
MyMichigan officials have claimed that the benefits lost in the transition when War Memorial became a MyMichigan hospital were made up in other benefits gained, and that offers made during negotiations are enough to encourage nurses to stay. During one last negotiation last week, MyMichigan offered a raise from $37 to $44.77 per hour, which they said is equal to that of other area hospitals.
"MyMichigan cares deeply for our staff, community and patients, and will continue do all we can to meet the health care needs for all,” said MyMichigan Sault President Kevin Kalchik. “We also believe that a contract is best reached at the bargaining table and remain committed to reaching a contract that’s fair for our nurses and doesn’t take away from the resources needed to care for our patients."
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The nurses maintain that the offer isn't enough to make their pay equal to neighboring hospitals or to make up for their lost benefits. Nurses who have shared their pay information also claim that accepting the deal would actually be a loss even with the pay increase.
“During our last negotiation they didn't actually change their offer from the previous time we negotiated, so it was really a waste of time,” said Registered Nurse Colleen Waucaush. "It just shows that they're not paying attention to the actual number we need."
The strike will last until 6:45 a.m. on Saturday. MyMichigan Medical Center Sault officials said they are prepared for the strike and patient care will not be affected. The picket line of the strike will go 24/7 with marchers from the nurses and other community members.
Piles of signs are available for community members who wish to support the staff on the picket line.
“There’s lot of memes on the signs to keep it lighthearted to help us feel better about this because a lot of us feel defeated and angered and sad that it has come down to this because we would rather be inside taking care of our community members,” said LeBlanc.
— Contact Brendan Wiesner: BWiesner@Sooeveningnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Sault nurses officially go on strike
