UM-Health work stoppage averted with 3-year tentative agreement with SEIU

FOX 2 - A three-year tentative agreement has been reached between U-M Health and the Service Employees International Union the two negotiating bodies announced jointly Monday night.

The tentative deal halts plans for a work stoppage planned for Oct. 15, which is now canceled. SEIU Healthcare Michigan will schedule a ratification vote among its members in the coming weeks.

SEIU represents about 2,700 respiratory therapists, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation specialists, phlebotomists, patient care technicians, inpatient unit clerks and clerical staff who work for the clinical operation of Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan Health.

"We’re glad and relieved to have reached a tentative agreement with the University that allows workers to move forward and keep their focus on taking care of Michiganders," said Larry Alcoff, SEIU Healthcare’s deputy trustee in a release. "This state has a proud union history and this agreement with an institution like the University underscores the deep value of the workers who care for our families and neighbors.

The agreement is a first for the newly formed collective bargaining unit.

"This agreement reflects our appreciation for these incredibly valuable members of our team," said David Miller, M.D., M.P.H., president of U-M Health in a release. "Both negotiating teams worked tirelessly to reach this agreement, embodying the core values of teamwork, collaboration, caring and integrity that set Michigan Medicine apart as a premier academic medical center."