In a significant development for Michigan's healthcare workforce, a strike at the University of Michigan Health planned for today has been called off following a tentative agreement reached with SEIU Healthcare Michigan. The union represents approximately 2,700 employees including respiratory therapists, ECMO specialists, phlebotomists, patient care technicians, inpatient unit clerks, and clerical staff. The agreement came just in the nick of time, averting a significant disruption to medical services across the university's health system.
"We’re glad and relieved to have reached a tentative agreement with the university that allows workers to move forward and keep their focus on taking care of Michiganders," told Larry Alcoff, deputy trustee of the Service Employees International Union Healthcare Michigan, per the Detroit Free Press. This agreement signifies the first contract for the newly formed bargaining unit, which seeks to enhance wages, especially for the lowest-paid workers, and acknowledges their essential role in the healthcare system of Michigan.
The accord, described by both parties as reflecting mutual values of teamwork and appreciation, arrives after months of negotiation. Dr. David Miller, president of U-M Health, emphasized the importance of this achievement, stating, "This agreement reflects our appreciation for these incredibly valuable members of our team," as per The Detroit News. Besides higher wages, the contract aims to retain top talent and maintain the high standard of patient care U-M Health is known for.
The specifics of the agreement include a three-year contract that has to be ratified by SEIU Healthcare Michigan members, with a vote expected in the coming weeks. Further details on the contents of the new contract have not been disclosed, however, it is made clear that efforts were intense from both sides to come to these terms. According to a news release from Michigan Medicine obtained by CickOnDetroit, "Both negotiating teams worked tirelessly to reach this agreement, embodying the core values of teamwork, collaboration, caring, and integrity that set Michigan Medicine apart as a premier academic medical center."
