The union said that it was an informational picket and not a work stoppage, the efforts were made in hopes that leaders at the hospital would listen to their conditions.

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WJRT) - Teamsters union nurses at Ascension Genesys Hospital took to the picket line Friday to protest what they are calling bad working conditions.

The union said it was only a informational picket and not a work stoppage. They hope that leaders at the Grand Blanc Township hospital would listen to their concerns.

Dan Glass, president of Teamsters Local 332, said the hospital is short staffed with some technical units down 200 to 300 employees for the past four to five years.

"They're not respected on, they won't reward these guys for all the work they've done," he said. "They've worked through the pandemic. They were called heroes that they're treating them like zeros right now."

The union says the hospital is not posting jobs correctly, leaving the Emergency Department understaffed and adding to the strain and burnout to employees there.

The nurses' contract expires in May 2024. Union leaders say the demonstration on Friday was scheduled to build momentum for those future negotiations.

Ascension Genesys Hospital released the following statement Friday about the picket:

"We respect the right of unions to hold an informational assembly outside our facility. As with any event of this kind, the safety and security of our patients, visitors, associates, physicians and picketers is our first priority. As we are not currently negotiating any collective bargaining agreement with the Teamsters, there is no risk of a work stoppage.

As we continue to focus efforts on recruitment and staffing, we are disappointed Teamsters Local 332 leadership did not accept proposals we presented several weeks ago that would have made their bargaining unit members eligible for generous sign-on and referral bonuses utilized elsewhere in Ascension Michigan. We hope to continue working with union leadership on solutions to the staffing challenges that are impacting all health systems across the country."

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Ascension Genesys Hospital nurses picket over working conditions - WJRT