IRONWOOD, Mich. (WZMQ) – Aspirus nurses in Ironwood have unanimously rejected a proposed contract from their employer.
The rejection of the contract comes due to its elimination of the current wage structure, as well as providing lower wages than the Nurses Association’s proposal for almost half of its nurses failing to provide the competitive wages needed to attract and keep nurses at the hospital.
The bargaining team also says Aspirus has shown little to no interest in saving its OB unit, planned to shut down by the end of the year.
Nurses say these changes would not only impact the hospital, but more importantly, its surrounding communities.
“They’re taking away a lot of things, not only from the nurses but from the community,” said Ironwood RN, Maryanne Vemmer. “Our union is trying to show that we’re not willing to just let it happen, we are trying to stand up for our community and our nurses that we’re strong and were not willing to give up.”
Nurses will return to the bargaining table on October 24.
