Nurses at a hospital in Marquette have voted to accept a new contract.
The agreement with Duke LifePoint for nurses at UP Health System Marquette was reached following negotiations with the Michigan Nurses Association, WLUC-TV reported.
The union said the contract contains many improvements for nurses and patients, including language to ensure that nurses have a stronger voice in staffing decisions. It includes wage increases and robust health insurance to help retain nurses.
Nurses had been working without a contract since last year. In October, they held a two-day strike.
The TV station said the contract is a four-year agreement that takes effect on June 1 for the about 375 registered nurses at UP Health System Marquette.
Michigan has had more than its share of labor disputes between hospitals and nurses. Many are asking hospitals for safer workplaces, where nursing shifts are limited to 12 hours or less, patients can count on sufficient numbers of nurses per shift and hospitals don’t regularly rely on nurses to perform housekeeping or patient transportation duties in addition to patient care.
-Crain’s Detroit Business contributed to this report.