May 26 Update
May 26, 2010 Statement from the Minnesota Nurses Association
Today the Minnesota Nurses Association received formal requests from each of the six Twin Cities hospital systems to return to the bargaining table. MNA staff is working with our bargaining teams to schedule negotiation dates and times, along with the process of involving a federal mediator to attend the negotiations at the request of the hospitals.
We still believe there is time to reach an agreement with the Twin Cities hospitals before nurses conduct a one-day, unfair labor practice strike for patient safety. While the hospitals have stated their willingness to extend the current labor contract (which is set to expire on May 31) through June 30, 2010, we do not feel this measure is necessary in order to reach an agreement between the hospital systems and our nurses, nor do we believe it would improve the chances of a settlement.
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Duluth Bargaining Update (May 25)
Duluth Bargaining Update from Kirsti Hendrickson, RN, Saint Luke’s Hospital, and Dolly Dahl, RN SMDC:
We entered our first bargaining meetings with management knowing that staffing and patient care is our number one issue. We also know that we have some catching up to do with our fellow MNA nurses in the Twin Cities on language that addresses staffing. Management proposed some things that weaken our contract when we know we need to gain ground. It is up to us now as Nurses in Duluth to show management we deserve a first-rate contract that enables us to have the nurses we need to provide the best care for our patients.
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May 25 All-Nurse Update
Dear Twin Cities Nurses,
Tomorrow the Star Tribune is putting out a story about the internal letter Allina CEO Ken Paulus sent earlier this week saying he is so concerned/upset/worried about negotiations that he is going to suspend his salary until a resolution is reached between the Twin Cities hospitals and nurses. (A nice gesture, but what does this actually have to do with resolving any of the real issues involved in these negotiations?)
At the same time, just this afternoon Allina’s lead negotiator called MNA to say that Allina is interested in returning to the bargaining table only if MNA modifies our proposals.
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