Nurses Strike Two Months, Hospital Finally Finds Couch Cushions
A recent Newsweek piece highlights Henry Ford Genesys's decision to increase registered nurses' wages, conveniently after a sustained, two-month strike. The hospital's Vice President, Brenda Adkins, noted the 'valuable contributions' of nurses. Funny how their 'value' only materialized after thousands of hours of lost labor and negative press. This isn't generosity; it's capitulation. Hospital
executives consistently claim financial hardship when discussing nurse pay, yet the average CEO compensation in healthcare was $18.9 million in 2021, according to an Axios analysis of 36 major health systems. Henry Ford Health CEO, Bob Riney, announced a salary increase for himself in 2023. Apparently, the 'value' only flows upwards until a labor stoppage forces a reckoning. The hospital found the
money not because it wanted to, but because it had no other choice. How many patient care hours had to be disrupted before they realized retention was cheaper than replacement?