FLINT, MI - Nurses and pharmacists were out picketing in front of Hurley Medical Center on Monday, May 8 because of a contract dispute with the hospital administration.

It is the start of nurses week, but the 1,000-plus members of the Registered Nurses and Registered Pharmacists of Hurley Medical Center took to the sidewalk at Fifth Avenue and Grand Traverse Street to draw awareness to the lack of a contract.

Union President Pamela Campbell said her members have been negotiating a contract for over a year, but have not made much progress settling the issue.

"It's the beginning of nurse's week and the nurses are very upset. Not feeling very appreciated. So they want to be out here to express [themselves,]" Campbell said. "We don't have enough nurses to take care of the patients on a daily basis. We have over 36,000 hours of mandatory overtime in a six-month period. The nurses are working very, very hard taking care of the patients and they're getting discouraged because they will not settle in a fair contract with us."

Campbell said Hurley's nurses first were offered no raise, but that offer has since been upped to half of a percent.

Both sides are now negotiating with a mediator, she said.

"The problem with the contract is the hospital is taking away all the stuff that has been built up over the 40 years," Campbell said. "They are taking so much away that nurses are not going to want to work here. They're not going to be able to retain nurses and they're not going to want to come here because there's nothing great in a benefit package if what they're offering goes through."

Campbell said union members will be out picketing as long as it takes to make an impact.

She also urged community members to go to Hurley Medical Center's social media accounts and voice support for the union.

Hurley Medical Center said multiple unions make up 85 percent of the hospital's staff, the hospital said in a statement.

"We are confident that the Registered Nurses and Pharmacists will have a fair contract," the statement said. "Hurley Medical Center prides itself on its history of union collaboration and union contracts that are favorable to both parties."