Our Local Union
UMPNC has been standing with nurses since Margo Barron, a staff nurse at the U of M Hospital, worked with her colleagues to form a union in 1974. Margo Barron was the first Chair of the Nurse Council. Her fearless and fiery leadership was fundamental in the founding of the new organization and in forging the Agreement. Margo continued at the helm of the Nurse Council until 1991. Since Margo, we have had four other Presidents in our history: Deborah Stoll, Cheryl Johnson, John Armelagos, and Katie Oppenheim.
In 1974, UMPNC RNs had no collective voice to improve their working conditions, worked an unlimited number of consecutive days in a row and had multiple shift changes in a week. RNs were forced to work overtime without limits and seniority nurses were earning less than new hires. Back then, there were less than one thousand nurses working within the institution.
On April 12, 1976, approximately 850 RNs and APRNs won their first union contract. Now we are 6300 strong! The first contract provided a professional wage scale, limits on overtime, shift premiums, and safeguards against discipline. Since day one, our members have had well informed and confident representation and our contracts are the best in the country.
Our organizational structure and the involvement of our members has grown too. In addition to our executive officers, we have multiple area reps and district reps that work with members to advance their issues and help them problem solve.
UMPNC leaders are working nurses who understand our contract and the rights of fellow nurses. When they negotiate the contract, they have to live with the results as nurses working at our side. The most important thing to know about UMPNC is that YOU are the union. We are strong because our members participate in union operation and union activities.
On January 2, 2021, UMPNC held a vote regarding disaffiliation from the Michigan Nurses Association/National Nurses United. Nurses were disillusioned with their representation from the State Office. Almost 70% of voting UMPNC members chose to disaffiliate using their resounding, democratic voice to send a clear message that we would not accept an exclusionary State or National structure with corporate political goals and bigotry towards the democracy we believe so strongly in at UMPNC. We decided that the best union for us would be one devoted exclusively to representing Michigan Medicine nurses and operated by us. UMPNC is now an independent Union capable of developing and fostering relationships with organizations that share our values and commitment, with a bottom line of strengthening our power at Michigan Medicine.
In 1974, UMPNC RNs had no collective voice to improve their working conditions, worked an unlimited number of consecutive days in a row and had multiple shift changes in a week. RNs were forced to work overtime without limits and seniority nurses were earning less than new hires. Back then, there were less than one thousand nurses working within the institution.
On April 12, 1976, approximately 850 RNs and APRNs won their first union contract. Now we are 6300 strong! The first contract provided a professional wage scale, limits on overtime, shift premiums, and safeguards against discipline. Since day one, our members have had well informed and confident representation and our contracts are the best in the country.
Our organizational structure and the involvement of our members has grown too. In addition to our executive officers, we have multiple area reps and district reps that work with members to advance their issues and help them problem solve.
UMPNC leaders are working nurses who understand our contract and the rights of fellow nurses. When they negotiate the contract, they have to live with the results as nurses working at our side. The most important thing to know about UMPNC is that YOU are the union. We are strong because our members participate in union operation and union activities.
On January 2, 2021, UMPNC held a vote regarding disaffiliation from the Michigan Nurses Association/National Nurses United. Nurses were disillusioned with their representation from the State Office. Almost 70% of voting UMPNC members chose to disaffiliate using their resounding, democratic voice to send a clear message that we would not accept an exclusionary State or National structure with corporate political goals and bigotry towards the democracy we believe so strongly in at UMPNC. We decided that the best union for us would be one devoted exclusively to representing Michigan Medicine nurses and operated by us. UMPNC is now an independent Union capable of developing and fostering relationships with organizations that share our values and commitment, with a bottom line of strengthening our power at Michigan Medicine.
What's at Stake?
There are many papers written on the corporatization of Unions and here at UMPNC we are putting that behind us. Experts have talked about a real revolution in the structure of organized labor and UMPNC has taken that on. Through our efforts, UMPNC will continue to strengthen our union here at Michigan Medicine and UMPNC nurses will be better represented because of it.
UMPNC nurses are stronger because of our alliances in the local community. We continue to foster a presence in our communities and it's not lost on our neighbors that what we do at the bargaining table makes a difference in the economic security of our community and the quality of the care that our patients receive. This common bond is what makes us strong.
We disaffiliated from the MNA/NNU because MNA seemed to forget that it was responsible to its members. As union members, we enjoy a broad set of rights similar in many ways to the rights found in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. We tried repeatedly to work within the State structure and ensure that every member had an equal voice within MNA. We made recurring efforts to ensure that resources were returned to our nurses at Michigan Medicine to fund our Union programs and services. We sent 4.3 million dollars to the State only to learn, with zero communication, that a unilateral decision was made to send three quarters of a million dollars to California to the NNU. For those that are new to UMPNC, MNA chose to leave the NNU just four years ago along with the Massachusetts Nurses Association and the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals because of their deceptions and blatant lies.
Now we can keep our money local and build our union without being encumbered by MNA politics in Lansing or NNU, a California based Union. We know there is a better approach. Most of us realize that the more we grow and actively participate in shaping the future, the better off everyone is. We know we won’t be a perfectly functioning democracy, but we know our union will reflect what our members really want. We are capable of doing more and creating more value for our membership.
We will hire our own staff and determine the union benefits that are important to our members. UMPNC will partner with community groups and our members will be ambassadors outside the workplace.
UMPNC nurses are stronger because of our alliances in the local community. We continue to foster a presence in our communities and it's not lost on our neighbors that what we do at the bargaining table makes a difference in the economic security of our community and the quality of the care that our patients receive. This common bond is what makes us strong.
We disaffiliated from the MNA/NNU because MNA seemed to forget that it was responsible to its members. As union members, we enjoy a broad set of rights similar in many ways to the rights found in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. We tried repeatedly to work within the State structure and ensure that every member had an equal voice within MNA. We made recurring efforts to ensure that resources were returned to our nurses at Michigan Medicine to fund our Union programs and services. We sent 4.3 million dollars to the State only to learn, with zero communication, that a unilateral decision was made to send three quarters of a million dollars to California to the NNU. For those that are new to UMPNC, MNA chose to leave the NNU just four years ago along with the Massachusetts Nurses Association and the Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals because of their deceptions and blatant lies.
Now we can keep our money local and build our union without being encumbered by MNA politics in Lansing or NNU, a California based Union. We know there is a better approach. Most of us realize that the more we grow and actively participate in shaping the future, the better off everyone is. We know we won’t be a perfectly functioning democracy, but we know our union will reflect what our members really want. We are capable of doing more and creating more value for our membership.
We will hire our own staff and determine the union benefits that are important to our members. UMPNC will partner with community groups and our members will be ambassadors outside the workplace.
Unions 101
A Union is simply workers coming together as a single entity to make things better for everyone. Under the Public Employment Relations Act, we have the right to engage in union activity and join together with fellow nurses to improve working conditions.
Every nurse wants a safe and rewarding workplace where each and every one of us is treated with respect and dignity. Joining together as a union is what enables us to negotiate for higher wages and benefits, a safer workplace, and a voice on the job for better working conditions. Nurses at Michigan Medicine know from their personal successes that when we speak together we can accomplish more.
In today's healthcare environment, collective bargaining nurses exercise their voice and speak out. UMPNC gives us the power to do just that!
Every nurse wants a safe and rewarding workplace where each and every one of us is treated with respect and dignity. Joining together as a union is what enables us to negotiate for higher wages and benefits, a safer workplace, and a voice on the job for better working conditions. Nurses at Michigan Medicine know from their personal successes that when we speak together we can accomplish more.
In today's healthcare environment, collective bargaining nurses exercise their voice and speak out. UMPNC gives us the power to do just that!
#UMPNCSTRONG
Joint Implementation Team