Published: Wednesday, December 21, 2022
LANSING, MI – Sparrow and its four UAW bargaining units have approved new contracts that extend to Nov. 30, 2025, and includes a clause for an additional one-year extension.
The contracts impact about 2,200 caregivers, including those in Support Operations; Food and Nutrition Services; Facilities; technicians who work directly with patients in Respiratory Therapy, Radiology, Physical Therapy, and Pharmacy; and many caregivers who support Sparrow Specialty Hospital. The previous contracts expired Nov. 30, 2022.
Negotiations on new contracts began Sept. 13 and tentative agreements were reached Dec. 2. Union members ratified all four agreements on Dec. 9. Two of the units gave 100 percent approval.
“These contracts allow us to sustain and grow our workforce. We were able to migrate our caregivers to our core health plans as well as reduce restrictions that will help us to recruit those who bring experience into Sparrow,” said Cindy LaFountain, Sparrow’s Director of Caregiver Relations.
Muhammad Qawwee, president of UAW Local 4911, which represents Sparrow caregivers, said his team feels they negotiated an excellent collective bargaining agreement for their members.
“We were able to vastly improve our work areas and protect our members from violence and harassment, which seem to be increasing at work sites,” Qawwee said. “We were also able to maintain and lower our health insurance premiums in the later years of our contract and bargain on pretty good wages to keep stability in an unstable world around us.”
Sparrow is proud to be the employer of choice in Mid-Michigan and to support families throughout the region. To learn about job opportunities at Sparrow, go to Sparrow.org/Careers.
###
Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier health care organization that includes hospitals in Lansing, Charlotte, St. Johns, Ionia and Carson City as well as Physicians Health Plan, Sparrow Care Network, Sparrow Medical Group, the Michigan Athletic Club, and AL!VE. Sparrow is affiliated with Michigan Medicine through the Sparrow Children’s Center and with Michigan State University’s three human health colleges. Through these partnerships and the dedication of our 10,000 Caregivers, Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and Patient experience. For more information, visit Sparrow.org.