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The 140 employees the union represents at Mercyhealth East, an outpatient clinic on East Milwaukee Street, have worked without a contract for more than a week after the group’s three-year contract expired, United Auto Workers Union Local No. 95 President Tim Silha said Monday.

Silha said the union gave 10-day notice of an intent to walk out pending contract negotiations that have faltered.

The notice expires at 10 a.m. Friday, and Silha said the employees, which include nurses, trained technicians, physician assistants, maintenance staff and others, are prepared “for a work stoppage” if the two sides don’t galvanize a new contract by Friday.

Silha wouldn’t describe what specific sticking points the union and Mercyhealth are working through, but he indicated part of the hang-up with contract talks is over pay and benefits.

Silha said there seems to him to be a stark shift in how Mercyhealth medical professionals are regarded by their bosses as the COVID-19 pandemic starts to ease.

“I do think it’s interesting that these workers went from ‘hero’ within six months or a year, to suddenly being a ‘zero priority,’ Silha said. “It’s alarming to me to see that. It really leaves me scratching my head.”

The union and Mercyhealth officials entered a round of mediation over the weekend, but Silha said neither side got any closer to a deal. On Monday, workers represented by the union returned to work without a contract.

More talks are expected later this week, but Silha said Friday would be the hard deadline for the two sides to reach a deal.

Mercyhealth officials, meanwhile, said an agreement might be in the works.

According to a statement from the health provider sent in response to a 69���� request for comment Monday evening, both parties had reached a “tentative” labor agreement.

Alen Brcic, Mercyhealth’s vice president of people and culture, didn’t provide any details but said Mercyhealth’s goal in the monthslong negotiation process has been to “continue to provide world class care.”

The UAW only represents employees at the Mercyhealth East clinic, and the labor talks only affect employees at that clinic.

The 10-day notice, Silha said, is to give Mercyhealth enough time to decide how to cover shifts at the clinic if workers do enter a strike Friday.

Silha stopped short of saying talks are at a standstill.

“I would not say things are at an ‘impasse;’ the situation is more like a stare-down,” Silha said. “It’s not an impasse because we’re still talking.”

This story was updated Monday with a statement from Mercyhealth saying a tentative agreement was reached with the union whose workers were threatening to strike without a new labor contract.