Nurses Go On Strike At Northern Michigan Hospital

MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) - Nurses at a hospital in Michigan's Upper Peninsula are on strike for two days amid contract negotiations that haven't reached a deal.

The strike began Thursday morning after talks ended Wednesday night between the UP Health System Marquette and the Michigan Nurses Association.

The strike is scheduled to last until Saturday morning. Stephanie DePetro, chief grievance steward for the union, says the nurses care about patients and the community. The nurses have raised questions about patient conditions they say need to be improved.

The hospital said in a statement that it had hoped to avoid a strike, but it had been preparing for the possibility. The hospital says it has "a comprehensive plan in place to ensure that there is no interruption in care of our patients and community members."