Bargaining (Page 4)

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barb Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org


(St. Paul) – May 22, 2019 – Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association in the Metro area are picketing selected hospitals to take their issues to the hospitals. Today, nurses from across the Twin Cities targeted Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis. Negotiations between nurses and hospitals have stalemated over a new contract, even though their contract expires on May 31.

“Nurses have felt disrespected at the bargaining table, and they feel they have to take the issues of workplace safety to the hospitals’ front door,” said Doreen McIntyre, a nurse at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.
… Read more about: Press Release: Twin Cities Nurses Picket Hospitals for Safety, Benefits  »

nurse workplace violence

By Jackie Russell, RN JD

Nursing Practice and Regulatory Affairs Specialist

 

On the CDC website there is a Workplace Violence Prevention for Nurses Course (CDC Course No. WB2908–NIOSH Pub. No. 2013-155). It’s free. It’s interactive. (here’s the link to attend:  https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/violence/training_nurses.html) It’s designed to “help healthcare workers better understand the scope and nature of violence in the workplace.” And it hasn’t been updated since 2016 (last reviewed, 2017).

If you take the course, you will learn the definition, types, and prevalence of violence; workplace violence consequences; risk factors for type II and III violence; prevention strategies for organizations; prevention strategies for nurses; and a post event response.
… Read more about: What Is Workplace Violence Prevention?  »

By Rick Fuentes

MNA Communications Specialist

 

Metro MNA members are taking their stories to the public. MNA has been advertising on I Heart Media radio stations and digital platforms about the issues nurses face every day at the bedside. On-air staff at I Heart Media have been very supportive of Metro nurses, especially K102’s Amy James, KDWB’s Dave Ryan, and KFAN’s Justin Guaard.

 

 

 

Of course, no one can tell the nurses’ stories better than the nurses. The first ad was voiced by Abbott Recovery Room nurse, Becky Nelson. 
… Read more about: Heard the New Radio Ad?  »

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

 Barb Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org


(St. Paul) –   March 26, 2019 –  Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association in the Metro area begin negotiations today with Twin Cities hospitals to reach agreement on new contracts that will ensure quality patient care.  Nurses will approach negotiations optimistic that a cooperative approach with Metro hospitals will lead to a settlement while still firmly believing in contract proposals that value nurses and patients.

“Nurses are united in putting forth proposals that recognize the value of their care and their professional judgment to protect patients,” said Jordan Foerster, a negotiations team member and a Registered Nurse at Fairview.
… Read more about: Press Release: Twin Cities Nurses Enter Negotiations Optimistic and Steadfast  »

By Shannon Paysse and Kyle Zelinske

MNA Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center Co-Chairs

 

When our SEIU colleagues at Essentia Health-St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd asked MNA nurses to support them over a costly change to their health insurance last year, we wasted no time assisting them.

 

Essentia Health’s decision to change health insurance in Brainerd put SEIU workers in a precarious position. Their contract contained a cap on how much the employer paid in premiums, something nurses had previously negotiated out of their contract. SEIU workers faced much higher family premium costs as a result of the change in health insurance.
… Read more about: MNA nurses have our union colleagues’ backs  »

By Emily Sippola, RN

MNA Member, United Hospital Tri-Chair

Months after the 2016 Allina strike, MNA nurses at United Hospital were surprised to find that the employer had unilaterally decide to change the calculation for our sick leave incentive bonus, which rewards nurses for not using sick time.

In May 2017, Allina decided to not count the hours United Hospital nurses were on strike toward “Regularly Scheduled Hours” and provided our sick time incentive bonus based on a lower number of hours nurses worked.

Nurses quickly filed a grievance based on the fact that the contract provides for upgrading Regularly Scheduled Hours based on additional hours worked but does not provide for downgrading based on hours on strike.
… Read more about: United Hospital nurses celebrate grievance victory over sick leave incentive  »

By Jackie O’Shea

MNA Political Organizer

 

Change isn’t something that happens in a vacuum. As a labor union, we know continued education, organizing, and mobilizing are key.  We must stand together as workers, united in one voice, if we want to create the change we desire. This is how we beat back profit-driven employers that would dismantle our rights to collectively advocate for change to better our working conditions and our patients. Politics is no different.

 

As with our contracts, we know singular wins don’t translate to lasting power in our workplaces. Just like with employers, we need to hold politicians accountable at the ballot box and at the Capitol.
… Read more about: If You Want Change, Tell Your Story  »

Dear MNA Allina nurses,

This is long, but important.  As your Executive Director I was present for the 22 hour marathon bargaining session that just ended mere hours ago. I understand Allina has, as usual, communicated with all of you before we were able to do so (a clear divide and conquer tactic that they have become oh so good at) so I wanted to get this out to you. Please note, that communication from Allina lists the elements of their proposal but not the details because they want you to demand to vote on their proposal without knowing what that proposal will really mean for you – don’t fall for it, it’s Allina trying to cause division within the union.
… Read more about: A Letter to Our Valued MNA Nurses  »

By Mathew Keller RN, JD

Mathew Keller, RN JD Regulatory and Policy Nursing SpecialistMathew Keller, RN JD
Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

Limousine service, upgraded television setsnurse/patient “scripts,” gourmet food service, nurse uniform requirements – hospitals all over the U.S. are offering more “customer-centric” patient care in order to increase patient satisfaction scores, which are becoming more and more important for Medicare reimbursements.

These efforts often have unintended consequences.

In the first place, customer-centric interventions rarely (if ever) improve the quality of care patients receive: rather, they merely improve patients’ perceptions of care.
… Read more about: Essentia Health: Listen to your nurses  »

By Shannon Cunningham

Director of Governmental and Community Relations

It’d be great if we all could elect our own boss. And the boss’ boss. And the boss’ boss’ boss. A vote against is a vote to fire them. A yes vote is a vote to hire them. Most importantly, no vote at all signals that you just don’t care. Sound familiar? Maybe because we actually can do that now.

It’s why elections matter. Take Attorney General Laurie Swanson, for example. The Minnesota Nurses Association has had a longstanding great relationship with AG Swanson. We have worked with her extensively on issues, such as fair billing practices at hospitals and preventing a merger of Sanford Health and the University of Minnesota..
… Read more about: Politics & Contracts Go Together Like Peanut Butter and Jelly  »