GRAND BLANC TWP., MI — Henry Ford Genesys Hospital has declared an impasse in negotiations with striking nurses and says it’ll begin implementing proposals offered during contract negotiations with Teamsters Local 332.

The hospital’s actions — announced in a news release on Wednesday, Nov. 5, comes after more than six months of negotiations with the union, which accused Henry Ford of negotiating in bad faith and “doubling down on their anti-union stance instead of working to reach a fair agreement.”

Registered nurses at Genesys will see salary increases of up to 8.6% if the hospital moves ahead with its unilateral implementation of a new contract, according to a statement from Henry Ford.

On average, it said, registered nurses will receive a 5.3% salary increase in the first year of the implemented contract, with unspecified wage increases to follow.

Approximately 750 nurses and case workers are represented by the Teamsters in the negotiations, which began before union members walked off the job during the Labor Day weekend.

Genesys has maintained its contract proposals have included competitive compensation, overtime and benefits that would provide 60% of registered nurses with a base pay rate of more than $100,000 per year, not including overtime or holiday pay.

The Teamsters have said the health system has refused to address nurse-to-patient ratios, proposed cuts in premium pay, and the elimination of certain incentives for new nurses.

“Our members have been committed to reaching a fair deal since day one, yet management forced them onto the picket line for two months,” Dan Glass, president of Teamsters Local 332, said in a statement released by the union on Wednesday.

“Now, management is attempting to unilaterally impose contract terms. This is unacceptable, Glass’ statement reads. ”We will not allow Henry Ford Health to jeopardize critical health care workers and their patients.”

Henry Ford’s announcement claims its officials have met with union negotiators more than 60 times since the spring but “have experienced no meaningful movement towards an agreement.”

It has identified staffing ratios, benefits, and premium pay as core issues in the negotiations and accused the union of promoting policies that led to years of absenteeism and financial losses that put Genesys in danger of closing.

The hospital said its negotiators “do not believe an agreement can or will be reached,” prompting it to enact contract proposals without union approval.

Health system officials said they will continue to meet with the Teamsters “in hopes of reaching a mutually agreed-upon contract” but said “there is no reasonable prospect of reaching a mutually acceptable agreement in the near term.”

The hospital said the contract proposals it intends to implement “align the pay scale at Genesys with other Henry Ford Health sites.”

Genesys was merged into Henry Ford Health as part of a joint venture between Ascension Michigan and Henry Ford more than a year ago.

The hospital said its new wages and benefits will be available to all registered nurses, including new employees, RNs who’ve remained on the job through the ongoing strike, and striking nurses who might want to return.

Late last month, it claimed 80 nurses had returned to work since the start of the strike.

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