Three Rivers Health Hospital - Beacon Health System nurses have been working without a contract since April 1.
“Right now, we are in a staffing crisis at our hospital. And it won't go away until Beacon does better at attracting new nurses and keeping the ones who are already working here," said ER nurse Brandy Shoup, who is also the local union president for the Michigan Nurses Association.
Shoup said that can be done with competitive wages, better health insurance, limits on mandatory overtime and a guarantee to schedule enough nurses to ensure safe staffing levels.
On Tuesday, the nurses' union held an "informational picket" at South Lanes Family Fun Center in Three Rivers. The bowling alley is across from the entrance to the hospital complex.
Shoup said that the picket wasn't disruptive.
"This is not a work stoppage, a work slowdown. Nurses are not leaving the hospital. If they are scheduled to work today, they're going to be at work so that the patients will be taken care of," she said.
Shoup said the union continues to be committed to bargaining in good faith and hopes that Beacon comes to the table ready to negotiate.
“We're really fighting not just for the nurses' future, but the future of healthcare in Three Rivers, for all of our community.”
In April, Indiana-based Beacon Health System announced it would expand its footprint in Michigan by purchasing four Ascension Borgess hospitals in Kalamazoo, Allegan, Plainwell and Dowagiac.
