Mid-Michigan Nurses Strike Hits Day 19 With No Deal in Sight

The nurses’ strike at Henry Ford Genesys Hospital has now stretched into its 19th day, and there’s still no deal in sight. Negotiations did take place yesterday (September 18, 2025) but they ended without an agreement. They are working to set the next session, but as of right now, there’s no date on the calendar.

Nurses Cite Patient Safety Risks

At the heart of this standoff is one issue that simply won’t go away: nurse-to-patient ratios. Nurses say they’re being stretched far too thin, and that puts patients at risk. Longtime RN Betsy Craig put it plainly, saying if she has too many patients, she can’t get to everyone quickly enough — even something as basic as controlling a patient’s pain can fall through the cracks.

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Another Genesys nurse, Jilian Walton, has worked there for 20 years and said she’s often assigned six patients, when the standard should be no more than four. She says that kind of workload leads to falls, bed sores, and in some cases, worse outcomes.

Union Pushes for Staffing Protections

Union leaders with Teamsters Local 332 say they’ve already made proposals that protect safe staffing, while the hospital claims their offer keeps the same ratios from the previous contract. The union disputes that, saying Henry Ford removed key staffing charts and language that nurses have relied on.

No Next Meeting Scheduled

For now, the strike goes on. With no negotiations scheduled and no agreement in hand, both sides remain dug in — and Genesys nurses continue to walk the picket line, calling for safer conditions for themselves and their patients.