By Al Pilong, President of Munson Medical Center and Chief Operating Officer of Munson Healthcare
This article originally appeared in the Traverse City Record Eagle, edition 9/12/2018.
On Sept. 8, 2015, my column in the Record Eagle focused on celebrating Munson Medical Center’s 100th anniversary and honoring the legacy of James Decker Munson, M.D. In that column, I retold the story of how Dr. Munson’s generosity and foresight laid the groundwork for the medical culture and quest for excellence in Traverse City.
I wrote that I believed that Dr. Munson would approve of what has become of the brick-and-mortar entity he helped dedicate, including Munson Medical Center’s heart center, neonatal intensive care unit, ICU, and Level-II designated trauma center that our community so strongly values. I also mentioned that Dr. Munson believed that a hospital could prove to be an asset to attract new residents and businesses to the community as the timber boom faded. And he was right. Just look around at how many people invest and live in Traverse City because of access to great medical care.
Today, I still believe what I wrote three years ago. However, I worry that some recent messages being shared in the community about Munson Medical Center paint a different picture — a picture of a greedy administration, unsafe conditions, and undercompensated employees. In fact, tomorrow we anticipate nurses from Munson Medical Center, members of the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA), and others to picket outside the hospital to rally community support for a fair collective bargaining contract for nurses. This is an informational picket, not a strike.
Pickets and unfair labor practice charges (ULP) are common during contract negotiations. The MNA regularly organizes pickets across the state, with the most recent examples in Ann Arbor, Manistee, and Marquette.
Based on what you may see and hear tomorrow, here are some facts summarizing how we continue to honor Dr. Munson’s legacy.
Munson Medical Center is a non-profit organization. That means we don’t pay any “profits” to shareholders or executives. Instead, all of the money we have left over after we pay our expenses is reinvested back into our organization for necessary technology and facilities upgrades, which recently totaled $130 million. In 2017, Munson Medical Center also provided $40 million to the community in the form of uncompensated care, health education, and community sponsorships.
We have, and will continue to ensure safe staffing to attract and retain the most experienced nurses. Munson Medical Center’s 2.9 percent nurse vacancy rate is enviable compared to the national average of 8.2 percent. And, we could never have received the prestigious Magnet Recognition Award for Nursing Excellence without proving that we adhere to safe staffing. Munson Medical Center is one of only 2 percent of the world’s hospitals to claim this honor three times.
We know that competitive wages are important to all staff. On average, Munson Medical Center nurses make $70,000 per year, while our highest paid nurses make $100,000 per year, not including benefits.
Munson Medical Center is committed to bargaining in good faith, however, bargaining in good faith does not mean that the hospital has to agree to whatever the union proposes. It means that the hospital will listen to ideas, carefully consider their impact on the entire health care team, and work toward finding common ground. So far, Munson Medical Center has dedicated 1,500 hours to bargaining in 31 sessions to date, with 19 more sessions recently added because of our desire to reach a contract.
As the hospital and the union work hard to find common ground, now is the time to come together, discuss topics in a professional manner, and work toward a contract that is fair to all, including nurses who we value as part of the health care team.
Munson Medical Center remains committed to carrying on the legacy and vision of Dr. Munson who once wrote “employees shall cultivate quiet, kind, and dignified manners and politeness in all things. Kindness must underlie everything that is done for patients.”
Throughout these contract negotiations and public picketing, we will always put our differences aside to care for patients. And that is something we can all agree on. But don’t just take my word for it. Learn why nurses believe Munson Medical Center is a great place to work:
Learn more about our commitment to caring at Munson Medical Center.
Copyright 2018 The Record-Eagle, Edition 09/12/2018