MNA nurses conducted an informational picket on Tues., Feb. 11 to support colleagues from Regina Medical Center to highlight concerns the Hastings community and its nurses are being considered second-rate by corporate management.
Allina Healthcare’s proposals to Regina Medical Center and its Registered Nurses represent a second-rate commitment to the delivery of quality nursing care in the community relative to the care residents receive in every other area served by Allina full-service hospitals.
MNA nurses from Abbott Northwestern with support from other Allina facilities and MNA-represented hospitals all donned red to march in solidarity along Chicago Ave. in front of Abbott Northwestern Hospital. Hastings Bargaining Unit Chair, Jane Traynor took the opportunity to send an invitation to Allina management. “Where’s (CEO) Ken Paulus’s office?,” she called. I’d like to have coffee with him, so he can put a face to the thorn in his side from Hastings, because we’re not going to give up!” Traynor pointed out that as a new Allina employee now, living less than 40 minutes away, she could sign a posting and be a nurse at Abbott with a pension and more choices for health insurance. “Nurses will make choices and that will not leave our community with much,” she added.
Co-Chair of the MNA Allina Council of Chairs, Mischelle Knipe, who works at Allina’s Unity Hospital in Fridley offered her support Hastings nurses as well. ” They deserve what we have,” said Knipe. “Their community deserves to have excellent nurses.” She called on Allina management to provide a fair contract that encourages nurses to stay in their community to “work and support those people they know and love.”
Watch the video to see the great show of support.