The University of Michigan Professional Nurse Council announced a strike authorization vote at a protest outside of the U of M Regents' meeting Thursday.
Negotiations between Michigan Medicine and the union — which represents around 6,000 registered nurses and other specialized roles — have stalled.
UMPNC president Kara Ayotte announced the vote during a speech at the protest.
“A strike authorization vote is not a decision to strike,” Ayotte said. “It is a message that this membership stands united behind its bargaining team and expects management to take these negotiations seriously, because we are serious.”
The union and Michigan Medicine have been in contract negotiations since October 2025. UMPNC says hospital system leadership have offered them an annual raise of two percent — which does not keep up with the pace of inflation — and want to increase the number of patients per nurse.
Savannah Frank, a surgical ICU nurse, said the nurses in her unit are already overworked under current staffing ratios.
“They expect so much out of us, but if we don't have the staff, we just can't help our patients in the way that the hospital expects us to, and the way that our management expects us to,” Frank said. “Pay is important too, but we're here for the patients.”
The union has also filed three unfair labor practice complaints with the state, taking issue with the installation of workplace monitoring sensors in the hospital without consulting the union, and alleging that Michigan Medicine wants to cut union representation for advanced practice registered nurses and reduce pay for nurse practitioners in the Medical Pulmonary Unit.
Ernie Saxton, UMPNC treasurer, said he finds it hypocritical that the U-M healthcare system has spent about $2 billion expand its footprint across the state while undervaluing nurses.
“They keep trying to chip and chip and chip,” Saxton said. “Healthcare is becoming more of a business now, so they're looking at the numbers more than at what we actually do, and that's deliver healthcare to individuals that are really, really sick.”
Michigan Medicine spokesperson Mary Masson said the hospital system is still committed to good-faith negotiations.
“We appreciate the dedication and professionalism of both bargaining teams and remain focused on reaching an agreement that supports our nurses, strengthens our workforce, and ensures the highest quality care for those we serve,” Masson said.
Unionized nurses have been working without a contract since late March, when their previous contract expired. They will vote on whether to authorize a strike June 13-18.
Editor’s Note: The University of Michigan holds Michigan Public’s Broadcast license.
