MNA Blog (Page 143)

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

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In: Bargaining, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Organizing

Employers Propose Major Reductions
Our pension plan is the envy of registered nurses around the country. It is a benefit that we negotiated years ago and have worked hard to protect. Many of us have worked for years in our hospitals, providing quality patient care every day, and deserve a pension that will allow us to retire when we are ready.

Pension bargaining with our employers got under way on Friday, March 5. We proposed moderate improvements to our pension. Our employers, on the other hand, proposed three major reductions in pension benefits.

Our Proposals

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Politics

Media Contact: Liz Doyle (612-483-5854) or lizd@takeactionminnesota.org

Statement of the Save GAMC Coalition on House override vote

Members of the Minnesota House today had the opportunity to hold to their vote in support of the men and women on General Assistance Medical Care and override the Governor’s Veto. Thirty eight  Republican House members who voted in support of this legislation last week have now changed their minds and voted against health coverage for the poorest Minnesotans. The Administration is already beginning to un-enroll people on GAMC and transition them into MinnesotaCare, a program that is more costly than the DFL plan and simply will not work for those currently on GAMC.
… Read more about: Press Release: Save GAMC Coalition Statement on today’s House override attempt  »

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MNA Member RN Barb Warren-Bloms (located on the far right and wearing a black shirt in the photo above) just returned from Haiti today, and she’s already got more than 200 photos up on her Facebook page. Barb’s journey to Haiti has already been well-chronicled, and in the coming days we’ll make sure to share some of her most powerful stories and photos as well. Barb is the first MNA nurse to be formally deployed to Haiti through the National Nurses United organization’s relief efforts. Barb spent two weeks on the floating Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort, and she’ll be headed back to work here at her hospital in Minneapolis on Monday.
… Read more about: First MNA Nurse Returns From Haiti with stories, photos  »

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In: Activism, Labor Unions, Nurses, Politics

As MNA President Linda Hamilton said so eloquently (and accurately) in the video above, “Nurses are in the House!” More than 900 RNs and nursing students gathered at the State Capitol yesterday, and our voices were heard loud and clear by dozens of Minnesota legislators and leaders, including Attorney General Lori Swanson and others. Swanson was among those who spoke at a standing-room-only noontime rally in the Capitol Rotunda, and throughout the day hundreds of nurses met with their legislators and representatives to advocate for patient safety, restoring the General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) program and other important issues. Special tanks to all of you who showed up and spoke up on behalf of RNs and patients!
… Read more about: Minnesota Nurses Day on the Hill 2010 Recap  »

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics

Tomorrow (Feb. 23), more than 900 Minnesota RNs and nursing students will descend upon the State Capitol in St. Paul for the 2010 Nurses Day On The Hill rally and event. Hope to see you there! If you’re coming out or going to be at the Capitol, here are some of the highlights:

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In: Healthcare

Pine Technical College wins $4.2 million to train healthcare workers

PINE CITY, Minn. – Pine Technical College is poised to set into motion a $4.2 million grant project recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The project, called Health Occupations Providing Economic Stimulus or HOPES, will recruit, train and employ almost 1,200 registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, home health aides and medical laboratory technologists in east central Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

The fundamental work of HOPES is expanding the capacity for allied health education in nursing and medical laboratory technology programs, according to PTC President Robert Musgrove.
… Read more about: Press Release: MN Tech College supported by MNA wins $4.2 million to train healthcare workers  »

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Barb Warren-Bloms, the first Minnesota Nurse formally deployed to Haiti, recently sent us a Facebook message with an update of her first days on the Navy ship USNS Comfort (above):

“Thanks. It is going ok on the ship. I am working night shift. The census is way down, and acuity is very low. It is winding down. There are only 50 patients here now.

Even though the census is very low, they are happy we are here, because the nurses have not had days off in over 30 days. We got here too late to be of much help other than letting the nurses get days off, which is important, I guess.
… Read more about: Update from the USNS Comfort in Haiti  »