Bargaining (Page 14)

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LABOR

Chicago teachers went on strike Monday for the first time in 25 years after their union and district officials failed to reach a contract agreement despite intense weekend negotiations that the union said were productive but still failed to adequately address issues such as job security and teacher evaluations.

One Teacher’s Story: A Chicago teacher explains in a powerful, personal blog post why he’s going on strike.

The United Steelworkers have announced a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with ArcelorMittal USA covering 14,000 workers, including 330 at the Minorca Mine outside Virginia, Minn.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 10, 2012: Chicago Teachers on Strike; HMOs in MN again see strong profits  »

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LABOR

In a major win for nurses, patients and three Texas communities, registered nurses (RNs) in El Paso, Corpus Christi and Brownsville gave final approval to contracts yesterday in first-ever collective bargaining agreements with National Nurses United.

Labor negotiations will resume in early October for workers at Hibbing Taconite, United Taconite and other facilities owned by Cliffs Natural Resources, according to the Star Tribune.

HEALTH CARE

Op/Ed: Why health care leaders can’t ignore front-line employees

The biggest key to patient satisfaction isn’t a fancy hospital lobby or high-tech equipment; it’s the staff, according to a survey released yesterday by J.D.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 7, 2012: Don’t Mess With Texas (RNs); Why Front-Line Health Care Employees Matter  »

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NOTES ON NURSING

Nurses, Docs Overestimate Care   The disconnect between the quality of care a panel of experts found in the records and the quality of care the nurses and doctors thought they had delivered doesn’t mean the patients were any worse off.  Instead, the researchers suggest it means the doctors and nurses may need to be more critical of their performances.

HEALTH CARE

Ascension’s Big Hospital Buy Likely to Face Anti-Trust Scrutiny   Ascension Health, the nation’s largest Catholic and nonprofit health system, operates about 80 U.S. hospitals with more than 17,000 patients, and reported nearly $20 billion in assets and about $16 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2011. 
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, September 6, 2012: Overestimating care; more corporate mergers; orchestra bosses out of tune  »

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LABOR

There is plenty of Union angst at Minnesota-based SuperValu, according to a recent Star Tribune story.

From The New York Times: Ohio Unions Battle Conservative “Super PACs” For Votes.

Also, The L.A. Times reports that teachers unions’ alliances with the Democratic Party are fraying.

HEALTH CARE

Parent engagement and daily care cut 20 percent of central-line infections according to a new study from Johns Hopkins.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 5, 2012: “Union Angst” at SuperValu; Unions Do Battle with Conservative Super PACs  »

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LABOR

The Moral Test of Government    Romney and Ryan and their corporate backers know this, and both candidates have challenged the very idea of a worker’s right to stick together and bargain for basic rights — including fair pay, health care and retirement benefits.

Mid-Level Jobs Squeezed in Economic Forecast   “The big story is there’s a lot of jobs at the top end and bottom end, but not a lot of jobs in the middle,” said Drew Digby, the region’s labor analyst for DEED. “There is a continuing squeeze for manufacturing and government jobs while classic middle class jobs, like teachers, will be harder and harder to get.”

Steelworkers Reach Tentative Agreement   U.S.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 4, 2012: Labor Day reflections; Nurses on cleanup duty  »

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HEALTH CARE

Park Nicollet Health Services & HealthPartners to Merge   If approved by federal regulators, the agreement would go into effect January 1st. The new nonprofit would be a health care delivery and finance organization named HealthPartners with 15-hundred physicians.   What’s behind the merger, and what lies ahead?

Read MNA’s Statement 

California Hospitals Fined for Medical Errors   In  the latest round of civil penalties issued for violations or  deficiencies constituting an immediate jeopardy to the health and safety of a  hospital patient, California hospitals were  penalized for making patient care errors that led to five deaths and  necessitated repeat surgery in seven patients.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, August 31, 2012: Health Care Merger; Labor Day Activities; Organizing Victories  »

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Statement by Minnesota Nurses Association Executive Director Walter Frederickson, RN on Park Nicollet Health Services/HealthPartners Merger

As corporatization of health care continues its relentless march in Minnesota with the merger of Park Nicollet Health Services and HealthPartners, nurses raise a voice of concern to warn that one size does not fit all.  Each health situation is unique and can require a multitude of resources at any given moment.

Simultaneously, patients deserve a basic standard of care, and enough RN staffing to be able to anticipate crises as they emerge on each shift.   As traditionally bottom-line obsessed corporations grow, so too must our voice continue to grow to ensure patients are always placed above profits.
… Read more about: MNA Statement on Twin Cities Health Care Merger  »

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HEALTH CARE

National Nurses United’s RoseAnn DeMoro Named to Top 100 Most Influential Health Care List for 11th Straight Year   DeMoro, who is number 36 on the list of 100, is one of only eight people to be named to the list for each of the 11 years it has been compiled. She is also one of only two women to be named every year on a list that is dominated by figures in government and corporate healthcare institutions.

NOTES ON NURSING

Unsafe Nurse-to-Patient Staffing Ratios are a Key Cause of 98,000 Preventable Deaths Each Year    Registered nurses form the backbone of this system, providing triage and treatment. 
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, August 28, 2012: DeMoro tops; RN staffing & preventable deaths; Collectiving cargaining on MI ballot  »

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HEALTH CARE

Medicare to Penalize 2200 Hospitals for Excess Readmissions    More than 2,000 hospitals — including some nationally recognized ones — will be penalized by the government starting in October because many of their patients are readmitted soon after discharge.  Some Minnesota hospitals that will be penalized because of their readmission rates include Abbott Northwestern – 9%; Hennepin County Medical Center – 22%; St. Mary’s Rochester (Mayo) – 13%; United Hospital – 23%; Unity Hospital – 32%; Mayo Fairmont – 81%; University of Minneosta Medical Center, Fairview – 17%

Missouri-based Ascension Health Inks Deal with Embattled Debt Collector   Ascension Health has signed a new contract worth up to $1.7 billion with a Chicago-based debt collection firm that was banned for Minnesota for alleged hardball tactics.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, August 14, 2012: Hospitals FAIL; Labor rallies; Accretive pops up in MO.  »

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NOTES ON NURSING

Work Schedules Contribute to Nurses’ Health Issues     “Adverse work schedules may be an overriding work-related factor for nurse obesity,” the researchers wrote. In addition to lack of opportunities for healthy behaviors, nurses with adverse schedules may have difficulty accessing healthy foods, the authors posited.

HEALTH CARE

New Medicaid Payment Method Will Save Money    Minnesota is the first state in the nation to receive federal approval for a new way of paying for health care in its Medicaid program.

Yes, There’s Probably A Medical App for That       The thousands of apps specifically geared toward health range from free to nearly $40 each, with most costing around $2.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, August 10, 2012: Is your work schedule making you unhealthy?  »