(Note: Visit the Allina Bargaining page on the MNA Web site for previous updates)
UPDATE: Via Jim Danielson, a member of the Allina bargaining team, posted on MNA’s Facebook page:
We (MNA) talked about 2 of our proposals at length. We discussed why they are important to us. In specific, our proposal on “Leave of Absence” and our proposal on Organizing and Elections. We have done this with almost all of our proposals up to this point and we get rolling eyes and chuckling again yesterday. Instead of asking about our proposals, they asked us to respond to their proposals. We will do that next week. We have a total of 16 proposals and another grouped as “others”. We are trying to make our position on these issues as clear as possible to management. They want to focus on the takeaways that they are bringing to the table, and avoid discussion on patient care issues and staffing.
I know that navigating this stuff online can be difficult, but our proposals have been on the MNA internet site since we handed them to management at the beginning of negotiations. Please read them and come to the ALL NURSE MEETING (Monday April 26 at Mercy Hospital. Times are 7:30AM, 1:30PM and 3:30PM. The morning meeting is in classroom B, the afternoon meetings are in 2 Heart Conference rooms A and B) and ask questions. This is the type of thing that we can hopefully clear up for everyone. Click on the link below and it should take you directly to the proposals page.
http://www.mnnurses.org/sites/default/files/documents/allina-bargaining-updates-626.pdf
SUMMARY
We did not ask for this fight. The employer brought this fight to us the day they delivered their proposals. They delivered a clear message to us. Managements’ message is that they do not honor us as professionals. They do not honor our Education and Our experience. They do not respect our compassion for our patients and our passion for our work. They do not honor our hard fought for contract.
Our proposals exemplify our professional standards of patient advocacy, safe patient care and patient protection. We are not being disrespectful when we adhere to these standards. Our goal, is to advance the profession of nursing and to move forward in the care we give to our patients and families.
The win is not “avoiding a strike”. The win is not about the employer taking their concessions off the table.
We win this fight by advancing our proposals for safe patient care, safe staffing and the advancement of our profession.
They brought the fight to us but WE WILL STAND TOGETHER, 12,800 strong, and finish the fight to advance the standards of nursing in this community in this state.
The MNA Allina Negotiation Team