Two labor unions are fighting for their first collective bargaining agreements with the University of Michigan’s Michigan Medicine.
Workers held an informational picket outside University Hospital last week, to protest what they say is U of M’s ongoing refusal to agree to what they call fair contracts that would address issues of understaffing and low pay.
United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals, and Service Employees International Union, represent about seven thousand workers in the state.
Kate Robbins is a physical therapist and the treasurer of United Michigan Medicine Allied Professionals local.
“When COVID hit, a lot of people retired from medicine,” said Robbins. “And so, we are asked to do more with less, and it’s starting to really burn out all of the employees in the hospital.”
University of Michigan Health responded in a statement saying, in part, they “look forward to continuing collaborative discussions with union members and employee groups working in a shared goal to provide the best care possible for their patients.”
Over the past 18 months, the two unions have emerged to represent diverse Michigan Medicine workers — including rehab, behavioral health, respiratory therapists, and more.
Robbins stressed that despite many members living just above the poverty line, their struggle is not only for fair wages and better staffing, but also for the well-being of the community.
“Our purpose is to take care of people,” said Robbins. “And if we can’t take care of people and we can’t take care of ourselves, then it does a disservice to everybody who’s involved in medicine and involved in the U of M community.”
Robbins said she’s hopeful that hospital management will respond to the informational picket by accelerating the pace of negotiations and finding more common ground.
Their aim is to have the contract dispute resolved by early this fall.
