Local nurses urge MyMichigan to raise pay and restore benefits amid staffing crisis

At a Chippewa County Board of Commissioners meeting, multiple nurses urged county leaders to press MyMichigan to improve wages and restore benefits to stem an exodus of staff and protect patient care. Dozens of public commenters said emergency-department wait times have increased, the ICU recently closed, and transfers out of the community are more frequent when beds are unavailable.

Several speakers identified themselves by name and years of service. "I want to help the people that need help," said Twila Niznik, an RN with 16 years of service, who said her family would face more than $4,200 a year in additional health-insurance costs under the current contract proposal. Jill Halsey, an RN of 28 years, told commissioners there were "32 open RN positions hospital wide" as of May 10 and urged pay parity with other Upper Peninsula hospitals. Alyssa Foxman, an emergency-department nurse who said she has worked at the hospital for more than 10 years, criticized proposed increases in health-insurance costs and limits on covering spouses, saying those provisions make recruitment and retention more difficult.

Daniela Laps, who said she has been at the hospital for 11 years, described feeling "disposable" as colleagues depart for higher-paying work and urged the hospital to prioritize staff recruitment and retention. Patty Wills, who works nights in the long-term care unit, described frequent use of temporary or pulled staff and overtime burdens that she said increase the risk of errors when unfamiliar nurses are assigned to vulnerable patients.

The speakers repeatedly asked for "fair market wages," restoration of lost benefits and compensation that would make local employment competitive with other facilities within an hour's drive. They framed the issue as essential to preserving small-hospital care and public safety in Chippewa County.

Board members thanked the nurses and hospital representatives for speaking. Chairman Savoy said the board would not intervene in labor negotiations but expressed hope the dispute could be resolved peacefully for the benefit of patient care. No formal county action on hospital contracts or wages was taken at the meeting.