McLaren Macomb remains open and operational and fulfilled its mission of caring for the community during the first day of OPEIU’s strike, and the hospital will continue to do so throughout the strike. Patient care continued yesterday during the first day of the strike with minimal disruption. The hospital — which is fully staffed with both fulltime McLaren Macomb medical staff members, employees and licensed, credentialed temporary professionals — performed surgeries, cancer treatments, diagnostic testing, therapies, emergency services, and continued inpatient care. We thank and recognize the dedicated McLaren Macomb medical staff and team members who compassionately cared for patients under a challenging environment and recognize the skill and professionalism of the temporary clinicians and support personnel who rose above the union’s negotiating tactics to deliver the care the community needs.
We are here to provide services to our patients and this strike will not deter us from our mission as a community health care organization. Our top priority is delivering uninterrupted, high-quality care for the patients and community who depend on us.
While we remain committed to reaching a resolution and respect the collective bargaining process, the union’s decision to abandon negotiations in the face of a strong and comprehensive proposal has jeopardized the very things they claim to protect – patient access, job security, and leading wages and benefits. In response, McLaren Macomb implemented contingency staffing plans to maintain operations and provide safe, reliable care.
We’ve bargained in good faith for the past two years for the service unit and RNs, investing extensive time and resources to reach an agreement that honors our team members and ensures the long-term stability of our hospital – especially considering recently passed federal legislation that significantly reduces Medicaid reimbursements and threatens financial sustainability for health care providers across the country.
Despite those challenges, McLaren has presented a proposal that goes above and beyond what’s being seen in our region and even nationally. We believe all employees and our community deserve the full picture, and we’re confident if presented with the facts, many would view our offer as more than fair.
Our Latest Offer for Registered Nurses
A revised wage scale that will result in a 15.84% to 40.14% pay increase for nurses over the three-year contract period. The average pay increase for a registered nurse nationally is currently between 3%-4% annually.
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Time-and-a-half pay for nurses who work more than 36 hours in a week and pick up additional shifts.
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Continued time-and-a-half overtime pay after 40 hours – bringing some nurses close to $190,000 annually with regular overtime.
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Annual retention bonuses of up to $1,000 based on tenure.
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Increase in existing hourly premiums for nurses who work afternoons, midnights and weekends.
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Almost 16% increase in compensation for nurses in the event a unit is short staffed, bringing the rate to $59.69/hour by year three of the contract.
Our Latest Offer for Support Staff
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A three-year agreement with equity increases of up to 15% based on years of service to recognize long-term dedication.
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Guaranteed 2% annual salary increases and raises aligned with non-union peers.
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Maintain current benefits for health insurance, PTO, holiday pay, retirement contributions, shift differentials and overtime premiums.
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All contract offers are in addition to March 2025 wage adjustments where employees below the new minimum received increases to meet the new minimum amount on top of a 3% increase. Employees whose wage rate was within the new range received a 5% wage increase.
Staffing Ratios
McLaren Macomb maintains nationally benchmarked mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios, with current 13-month average ratios consistently meeting or exceeding standards, including:
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Medical/Surgical Units – 1 nurse to 4.44 to 5.88 patients (1:4.44 to 1:5.88)
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ICU – 1 nurse to 1.76 patients (1:1.76)
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OB (Family Birth Place) – 1 nurse to 1.41 patients (1:1.41)
These are the same ratios supported by the union in 2021 and continue to reflect safe staffing practices. If ratios are exceeded, RNs are compensated accordingly.
Transparency and Conduct
While the union has shared numerous public claims, including unfair labor practice charges, several have not been upheld. Meanwhile, McLaren has filed its own pending ULPs against OPEIU Local 40 for:
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Failing to bargain in good faith.
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Surface and regressive bargaining.
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Coercing and intimidating employees.
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Deliberately delaying negotiations.
The union’s narrative that we are unsafe and have horrible working conditions is an outright misrepresentation of the reality of the quality care provided at the hospital. McLaren Macomb values all our team members and the vital roles they play. We are ready to welcome our nurses and support staff, but not at the expense of patient care or the hospital’s long-term viability. We remain hopeful that once all facts are understood, we can bring our team back together under a contract that is both fair and forward-looking.
For patients, the message remains simple – we are open, operational and safe. Your care is in qualified hands, and our commitment to this community is unwavering.