Nurses Score Big Win: 10,000 Teamsters Secure Retroactive Pay!

Ladies and gentlemen, buckle up! We've got a story that's going to make your hearts race and your fists pump in the air. It's a tale of triumph, of nurses standing up for their rights and winning big. We're talking about the 10,000 Teamsters nurses at Corewell Health East who just scored a massive victory with a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that's going to change the game for them and for healthcare workers everywhere.

Let's break it down, folks. This MOA is a game-changer. It provides Teamsters nurses with substantial economic improvements that were previously withheld by the employer but given to nonunion employees in 2025. We're talking about a March 2025 general wage increase, a base pay market review and tier adjustments for advanced practice providers, a $250 bonus, shift differential and shift premium increases, and matching contributions to workers’ 403(b) retirement plan. BOOM! That's what we call a win!

But it doesn't stop there. The MOA also guarantees that all future economic improvements provided to unorganized workers this year will be provided to Teamsters nurses. This is a huge deal, folks. It's not just about the money; it's about the principle. It's about fairness and equity. It's about saying, "We won't be treated differently just because we formed a union."

Mike Smith, lead negotiator and Trustee of Local 2024, said it best: "We told Corewell on Day One that equitable treatment of Teamsters nurses was our top priority. While we are proud to have reached this agreement and secured nurses what they are rightfully owed, this is just the beginning of a longer fight." You heard it, folks. This is just the beginning. The nurses are ready to fight for more, and they're not going to back down.

Sarah Johnson, a member of the negotiating committee, echoed this sentiment: "Corewell should have never denied the Teamsters nurses our fair share just because we formed a union. This MOA solidifies that when Teamsters fight, Teamsters win — and that’s the exact mentality we are heading into the rest of negotiations with. We are eager to get back to the bargaining table and solidify the foundation of our first union contract."

So, what does this mean for the future? It means that nurses are standing up for their rights, and they're winning. It means that healthcare workers are saying, "Enough is enough. We deserve fair wages and benefits, and we're not going to stop fighting until we get them." It means that the healthcare industry is changing, and it's changing for the better.

But it also means that employers need to wake up and smell the coffee. They need to realize that nurses are not going to be taken advantage of anymore. They need to understand that nurses are a vital part of the healthcare system, and they deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

So, let's give a big round of applause to the 10,000 Teamsters nurses at Corewell Health East. They've shown us what it means to fight for what's right, and they've won a huge victory for themselves and for healthcare workers everywhere. This is just the beginning, folks. The fight for fair wages and benefits is far from over, but with nurses like these on the front lines, we know that the future is bright.