Our aim is to achieve an agreement that advances our threefold commitment – to our patients, to all our valuable team members, and to the communities we serve. Aspirus has and always will negotiate in good faith across the bargaining table.

Aspirus Iron River and the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA)have not opened bargaining yet. The current contract will expire on December 31, 2025.

On October 17, the MNA held a rally at Iron River which we deemed unwarranted as the first bargaining session has not been held. We would like to maintain our consistent practice of negotiating at the bargaining table.

One of the reasons the MNA cited for hosting the rally was in response to our well-reviewed decision to transition our surgical services program at Aspirus Iron River to a day-only scheduling model. Aspirus is committed to keeping high-quality health care in the U.P., using foresight to navigate economic pressures and other factors that confront rural health care systems across the country. To do that, we must direct our resources where the community need is highest. Doing so is critical to maintaining essential services in the communities we care for.

There has been a sharp decline in the number of after-hours cases in the past three years. So far in 2025, there have only been five after-hours cases, which highlights why this is the right choice. All current employees were retained and will continue to serve in the surgical program. 

This transition helps us preserve other essential services –such as emergency care, inpatient care, primary and specialty physician care, laboratory, imaging, and rehabilitation and therapy services – that are in much higher demand. In fact, we continue to expand our service offerings in IronRiver; recently we opened a new rehabilitation program for those suffering from Peripheral Artery Disease, or P.A.D., to improve movement and manage symptoms. We constantly review community needs and will always make decisions after thoughtful review and discussion.