MNA Blog (Page 88)

Recent news and updates from the Minnesota Nurses Association.

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, National Nurses United, Nurses, Nursing

LABOR NEWS

Rich-Poor Gap Widens in United States  The 1.2 million households whose incomes put them in the top 1 percent of the U.S. saw their earnings increase 5.5 percent last year.  Earnings fell 1.7 percent for the 96 million households in the bottom 80 percent — those that made less than $101,583.

RN’s Declare Victory in VA System   By an overwhelming majority, nurses at VA medical centers across the country have ratified a national contract, a master agreement unprecedented in its protections of patient care standards and for strengthening the voice of RNs in the care of the nation’s veterans.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, October 8, 2012: Wage Gap Widens; Union Victory for VA Nurses  »

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In: Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, National Nurses United, Nurses, Nursing, Politics, Robin Hood Tax

LABOR NEWS

Jobs Report: Unemployment Rate Drops to 7.8%   The U.S. unemployment rate fell to 7.8 percent in September, down from 8.1 percent in July. That’s now the lowest level since January 2009. And, for once, the rate dropped because Americans are actually finding work—and not just dropping out of the labor force.

NNU Co-President Jean Ross Interviewed Regarding the Robin Hood Tax  What was once a movement—is now legislation—thanks to Minnesota Representative –Keith Ellison.  On NurseTalk Radio, RN Jean Ross explains why this is so important.

NOTES ON NURSING

Menengitis Outbreak Spotlights Risk of Custom-made Drugs     All these disasters involved medicines that had been custom-mixed at what are  called “compounding pharmacies” — laboratories that supply hospitals, clinics  and doctors to a much wider degree in the U.S.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, October 5, 2012: Health care leads jobs growth; Menengitis outbreak  »

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

HEALTH CARE

Presidential Debate Review  On Health Care, Two Visions with Their Own Sets of Facts.  If there was one area where Mitt Romney and President Obama sometimes seemed to inhabit parallel universes at their debate on Wednesday night — with separate sets of assumptions, beliefs and even facts — it was on the question of health care and government’s role in providing it.

NOTES ON NURSING

Another Study; More Proof Ratios Work   AHRQ:  State-Mandated Nurse Staffing Levels Alleviate Workloads, Leading to Lower Patient Mortality and Higher Nurse Satisfaction.  The legislation has increased nurse staffing levels and created more reasonable workloads for nurses in California hospitals, leading to fewer patient deaths and higher levels of job satisfaction than in other states without mandated staffing ratios.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, October 4, 2012: Prime new evidence that ratios work  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics, Right to Work

LABOR

Hundreds of nurses at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in California are on strike after negotiations over their labor contract stalled.

The battle to curb labor’s political clout has moved from Wisconsin to California, where wealthy conservatives are championing a ballot measure that would bar unions from donating to candidates.

Nurses from Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, MA, have a demonstration planned outside of the hospital’s Springfield location, on Wednesday. This will take place hours before the last negotiating session between management from their hospital and the Massachusetts Nurses Association.

The union representing 350 employees at Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in New Jersey has filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board, seeking an injunction against the hospital to stop what it alleges are illegal activities.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Oct. 3, 2012 – CA Nurses on Strike; Banks Behaving Badly  »

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, National Nurses United, Nurses, Nursing, Organizing, Politics, Robin Hood Tax

NOTES ON NURSING

Join nurses across the country at 2:00 p.m. TODAY (Oct. 2) as we  advocate for The Robin Hood Tax at the office of Rep. John Kline (Burnsville)

Home-Based Stroke Therapy Improves Outcomes, Eliminates Wait Times, Saves Money, Study Suggests   Home delivery of stroke rehabilitation improves care, eliminates waiting lists for treatment and saves hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in hospital costs, according to a quality improvement project presented October 1 at the Canadian Stroke Congress.

More Nursing Care Staff are Needed in Order to Curb Bacteria-related Deaths   What I saw in the nursing facilities makes me not want to be a patient there in the future.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, October 2, 2012: RN on the 47%- “my patients just need help;” join the Robin Hood action today  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics, Right to Work

Join nurses across the country TOMORROW (Oct. 2) as we visit politicians to advocate for The Robin Hood Tax. MNA RNs will be visiting John Kline’s office in Burnsville at 2:00 pm!

LABOR

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Can You Hear Them Now? Minnesota Orchestra musicians speak out regarding their labor dispute with management.

In Massachusetts, Labor Unions are standing up to support Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren.

HEALTH CARE

As of Monday, Medicare will start fining hospitals that have too many patients readmitted within 30 days of discharge due to complications.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Oct. 1, 2012 – MN Orchestra Musicians Speak Out (Video)  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics, Right to Work

 

LABOR

The French government presented a budget Friday that was heavy on taxes — including a controversial 75 percent income rate on high earners.

Nurses at two San Jose hospitals took to the sidewalk this week in a one-hour strike over contract negotiations.

After working without a contract for more than a year, about 750 registered nurses have reached a tentative agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement with Mills-Peninsula Health Services.

HEALTH CARE

Minnesota has received $42.5 million in its third federal grant to help design and develop a health insurance exchange.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 28, 2012 – MN Gets $42.5M for health exchange  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics, Right to Work

 

Please join Wellstone Action on October 10, 2012, as they honor the lives and legacy of Paul and Sheila Wellstone, Marcia Wellstone Markuson, Tom Lapic, Mary McEvoy, and Will McLaughlin.

LABOR

In an appalling display of dangerous mismanagement, UMass Memorial Medical Center has announced yet another round of layoffs, the sixth in two years, despite posting a profit last year and aiming to post a $60 million surplus this year; all the while slashing staff and transforming UMMMC from the best staffed to the worst staffed hospital in the City of Worcester.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 27, 2012 – Hospital goes from “best staffed to worst staffed” in City  »