MNA Blog (Page 134)

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

The following stories were shared today (May 5) by members of MNA RN’s from the Allina Bargaining team:

My name is Dawn Yetter and I am an RN on 3 West at Unity hospital. I am here to describe some of the staffing issues on 3W that cause concerns for the RNs who work on our unit. We are a surgical and orthopedic unit where we primarily care for post-op patients.  On the average day shift, the RN cares for 4 patients at one time; on a PM shift, 4-5; on the night shift 5, sometimes 6. We have 44 beds total , down 3 different hallways.
… Read more about: Allina Bargaining Team: RN Stories  »

Allina RNs joined us as members of the negotiating team today to talk about our staffing proposal.  Those members who joined the team were Laura Joanis, Theresa Biles-Kraft, Cheryl Benson, Linda Bendix, Tabitha Newman, Lenae Haas, Melissa Buganski, Dawn Yetter, Liana Land, Georgine Malone, Cathy Johnson, Katy Nelson, David Vidmar, Mary Hoversten, Carol Larson, Linda Schafer, Patty Koenig, Priscilla Taylor, Hilda Makori-Anching, and Linda Schafer.  Each one of our members told stories of their work, patient assignments and shift experiences that addressed our staffing proposals.  Our proposal is as follows:

  1. Budget all units at no less than 115% of capacity
  2. Jointly develop a staffing plan
  3. Incorporate patient acuity and nursing intensity
  4. Prior to opening of any new units or service line. 
  5. … Read more about: Allina Bargaining Update (May 5)  »

Hello fellow RNs-

Today was very interesting at the bargaining table. We were again greeted with coffee and bagels from our co-workers at St. Joes, thanks again for all of your support.

Today we put a proposal on the table that we thought expressed the concerns of our fellow RNs and sent a message to the employer that we are putting patient care first. We proposed that the employer accept our staffing proposal, our infectious disease proposal, our education proposal, and our proposal on technology. In exchange for this acceptance we proposed to drop several of our proposals in exchange for some of their proposals being dropped. 
… Read more about: HealthEast Bargaining Update (May 4)  »

From MNA Bargaining Team Member Lori Christian, RN

Today, we presented our proposals on health insurance, salary, and protecting union work.

Throughout these negotiations, management’s chief spokesman has said repeatedly that there is no analytical data that better nurse to patient ratios improve care.  We presented them with a study released this month which shows that “lower ratios are associated with significantly lower mortality…nurses’ burnout and job dissatisfaction were lower, and nurses reported consistently better quality of care.”

We continue to talk about the importance of safe staffing, but our concerns fall on deaf ears.
… Read more about: Methodist Bargaining Update (April 29)  »