Fri. Nov 8th, 2024

Members of United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals, AFT #6739 and SEIU HCMI members at Michigan Medicine walk a practice picket line. Oct. 7, 2024. Photo by Jon King.

Medical workers represented by SEIU Healthcare Michigan have ratified a three-year agreement with Michigan Medicine.

The 2,700 workers, including respiratory therapists, ECMO specialists, phlebotomists, patient care technicians, inpatient unit clerks and clerical staff voted “overwhelmingly” during a two-week period to accept contract terms that were tentatively reached Oct. 14

“This is a major victory for us, the workers of Michigan Medicine. This contact passed by a landslide. We are the Michigan difference. This sets the bar as we continue to build our union,” said Sean Duba, a patient care tech associate. 

According to a press release, the agreement includes an average wage increase of 23.4% over three years, with wage increases for the lowest-paid workers to over $20 an hour (up from $15.76), plus a 25-step wage scale based on years of service, including outside relevant experience

SEIU Healthcare Michigan says the agreement protects benefits for workers at the University, including:

  • Eradicating caps for workers with high seniority
  • Guaranteeing almost ⅔ of the unit will receive and increase of 20% or more over the 3-year agreement
  • Creating accountability, transparency and a defined workload for Respiratory Therapists 
  • Establishing a grievance procedure, affording workers a way to challenge unfair or inaccurate discipline or other violations of the contract 
  • Establishing 5,200 paid hours a year for stewards to enforce the union contract
  • Mandating a 30-minute new employee orientation for every new hire

Jennifer Bentley, a patient services intermediate, said she was proud of what the union was able to achieve in their first contract.

“I have worked at the University of Michigan for 17 years. I have also had to work a second job to make ends meet because they were not paying me enough money. For the first time in years, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel with the raises we won in our first contract,” she said.

University of Michigan health officials thanked both bargaining teams for their commitment to reaching an agreement on a competitive compensation package for the members of SEIU Healthcare. 

“We are grateful for all that our team members represented by SEIU do to provide outstanding care for our patients every day in our hospitals and clinics,” said David Miller, president of U-M Health.

Workers formed the bargaining unit in two stages between July 2023 and March 2024, with negotiations beginning 12 months ago. 

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