KALAMAZOO, Mich. — The possibility of a strike has been put to rest after Nurses at Ascension Borgess Hospital ratified a new contract Wednesday.
After countless meetings, long hours of negotiations, rallying, and a month of working without a contract, the fight is over.
“What kept me going is I want to stay here. I envisioned working here until I retire,” said Lori Batzloff, a nurse at the hospital.
As the president of the local Michigan Nurses Association, Batzloff has sat through every bargaining meeting, comparing their last two sessions to a marathon.
“It was very important to me to get a good contract, a fair contract, that will recruit and retain the nurses that we need,” she said.
The new three-year labor agreement with the health system will cover over 300 registered nurses.
It includes average raises of 20.5% in year one of the contract and protection for part time workers who need to take medical leave. Also, nurses will not be forced to work additional weekends.
Batzloff feels the new agreement could help attract and retain nurses, and she’s excited to see their nursing staff grow.
Ascension Borgess Hospital is also pleased about the new contract, in an emailed statement they said in part, “ we would like to express our appreciation to both bargaining teams for their diligent work in reaching this mutually beneficial agreement.”
Batzloff said the contract will go into effect immediately.
