By Jen Clancey STAFF WRITER
Montana Nurses Association, a nonprofit that represents professional nurses as well as promotes professional nursing education and practice, announced a new union of nurses at the Bozeman Health Big Sky Medical Center on Aug. 21.
This is the first union established at BSMC since its opening in 2015 and aims to address pay equity, transparency, and recruitment and retention. The union will start negotiations with Bozeman Health later this year.
Kate Sheridan, an organizer with MNA, noted that the BSMC union echoes similar priorities of other medical centers
“With this group, they came with a pretty clear list of priorities. One of the things we’re seeing really across the state at every facility we represent—and this was right in line—was just pay equity, and with this group also transparency,” Sheridan told EBS. Transparency, she noted, could be achieved through tools like a wage scale, which would show a nurse’s expected salary based on their years of experience.
The ability to work and live in Big Sky was also important to the nurses, according to Sheridan.
“I know many of the nurses I talked to said that they hope that they could retire while working at Big Sky, that it’s really the place they want to be,” Sheridan said. She emphasized how retention strengthens a hospital’s staff and supports the care they provide to the community.
“I think the important thing to communicate to the public is … it really helps with patient safety. So if you have nurses who are familiar with the hospital or working with colleagues that have the right mix of skills and experience, then you’re gonna have the best patient outcomes,” Sheridan said.
Separately, MNA has represented Bozeman Health staff in Bozeman for several decades. Bozeman Health Chief Nursing Officer Kiera Pattison noted the opportunity to build on this relationship.
“Bozeman Health deeply values our nurses and the essential care they provide for our Big Sky community,” Pattison stated in an email. “We anticipate a positive and collaborative negotiation process with Montana Nurses Association, building on our strong existing relationship. Our focus remains supporting our care teams as they continue to provide safe, high-quality, and compassionate care for the Big Sky community.”
Vicky Byrd, CEO of MNA, also noted the collaboration between Bozeman Health and MNA.
“We’ve had a very long history with Bozeman Health and are very proud of that very collaborative working relationship, and we hope that that will continue through this unit as well,” Byrd said.
