Registered nurses at UP Health System Marquette gave a 13-day notice to strike as a result of a dispute with the hospital that started in April over what they say are short staffing ratios.
In a response to the notice received on Friday, the hospital said if the strike takes place they have a comprehensive plan to secure a fully qualified staff to replace those who would go on strike. The strike is set to take place at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 5 concluding at 6:59 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7.
400 nurses at the UP Health System Marquette are represented by the Michigan Nurse’s Association (MNA). The union said that they feel a majority will strike.
The dispute arose when the nurses and the hospital began contract negotiations.
In the negotiations, the nurses cited a shortness of staff to deliver quality patient care. In August, the MNA handed hundreds of forms to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reporting 780 incidents of unsafe conditions to patients due to short staffing.
The Licensing and Regulatory Affairs has since conducted an investigation on the hospital. The results are said to be released soon.
