Bargaining (Page 6)

By Sherri Lidholm, Jodi Isaacs, Shannon Wilberg, Ellyn Peterson: Deer River Health Care Center negotiating team

Negotiations with Essentia Health in Deer River started with a “contraband” cake and ended with our members ratifying a contract that improves compensation, stems the tide of RNs leaving for better-paying jobs in nearby hospitals, and strengthens our union solidarity.

Bargaining got off to a bumpy start last September when we served a cake decorated with the MNA logo to passers-by in an area near the hospital lobby to kick off negotiations. Administration asked us to leave and canceled the next day’s negotiating session.
… Read more about: Nurse power pays off in Deer River  »

RNs at Cambridge Medical Center made final preparations for their Nov. 20 informational picketing on Tuesday night.

MNA Cambridge members and their families turned out in force to make signs and other preparations for Thursday’s picketing.

The RNs say they are frustrated with the hospital’s emphasis on profit over patient care and staff.

RNs are very concerned about the hospital’s proposals during the current contract negotiations, and recent staff layoffs.

Community members are solidly behind nurses. “I support our nurses” signs are in yards and businesses throughout Cambridge, and community residents will join the RNs on the picket line on Thursday.
… Read more about: Cambridge RNs ready for Nov. 20 informational picketing  »

MNA members who work for Rice County Public Health in Faribault will see a wage increase and higher health insurance contributions from the county, thanks to a newly ratified contract.

MNA members voted yes for their new two-year contract on Sept. 19.

It includes a retroactive 2.5 percent pay increase for 2014 and a 2.75 percent raise in 2015.

“The nurses of Rice County have learned a lot through this process about the need for solidarity in the county,” said Negotiating Team member Amber Hauer.” We sent a clear message to the county negotiators that we deserve a contract  without regressive  terms.”

The bargaining unit gained two new members on the day of the vote.
… Read more about: Rice County nurses say yes to new contract  »

Nurses at Essentia Health in Deer River are calling it their ‘contraband cake.’

MNA members kicked off negotiations by serving a cake decorated with the MNA logo to passers-by in an area near the hospital lobby – until they were asked to leave.

Hospital administrators not only asked members to move, they canceled the next day’s negotiating session.

Talks are now set for today (Sept. 9).

This is the first contract since Essentia took over the hospital. Nurses say they’re ready to stand up for a contract that shows Essentia is dedicated to supporting the Deer River community and quality nurses who want to work at the hospital and make the area their home.
… Read more about: Deer River nurses kick off negotiations  »

From the far north to the far southwest of Minnesota, MNA nurses are winning new contracts that improve staffing, wages, and benefits. Nurses reached out and received community support in their communities to show employers that citizens support nurses.

Nurses at Rainy Lake Medical Center in International Falls, Fairview Lakes Medical Center in Wyoming,  Sanford Worthington Medical Center, and Fairview Range Regional Health Services in Hibbing have all voted to ratify new contracts in the last month.

International Falls. It took nearly a year of standing strong for a fair contract that protects safe patient care, but Rainy Lake Medical Center nurses approved a tentative agreement and have a new contract this month.
… Read more about: New contracts improve staffing, wages, benefits  »

Essentia Health-Sandstone nurses have a new contract – their first.

Members approved a new four-year contract earlier this month, following two years of organizing and negotiating.

Sandstone nurses organized right after Essentia bought the hospital in 2012.

“We are very excited to have a contract with language that ensures safe staffing, addresses on-call shifts, and gives nurses a stronger voice in our workplace,” said bargaining unit MNA Co-Chair Erin Olson, RN. “The feedback from fellow nurses has been very positive.”

The four-year contract includes:

• Wage increases of 11 percent over the four years;
• Orientation and training language modeled on metro nurses’ contracts;
• On-call pay raise from $4 per hour to the minimum wage;
• Reimbursement raise from $400 to $700 for continuing education;
• 401(k) contributions from 3 percent to 7 percent.

… Read more about: Sandstone nurses vote for their first contract  »

Nurses at one of Minnesota’s largest hospitals have a new contract that makes significant improvements in compensation and working conditions conditions that will help recruit and retain nurses at the busy urban Level 1 Trauma facility.

Hennepin County Medical Center nurses overwhelmingly voted in favor of a new three-year contract in June.

“It was time for us to enrich our contract and provide some of the benefits enjoyed by the other metro hospitals,” said HCMC Co-Chair Michele Will, RN. “I think we made steps in that direction.  We were able to secure education money for all nurses and increase the number of weekends off for nurses with ten years of seniority who work every other weekend.
… Read more about: HCMC contract builds on success  »

Nurses at Fairview Lakes Medical Center in Wyoming, MN, are fighting for contract advancements to protect patients, recruit and retain exceptional nurses, and to stop management efforts to take back hard-fought compensation and benefits.

Negotiations officially began in June, with management proposing to deny health insurance coverage and other benefits to almost a dozen nurses who work half time,  increase mandatory low-need days by 50 percent, and continue inequitable pay differentials between clinic and hospital nurses.

“These proposals are offensive and unrealistic,” said Fairview Lakes MNA Co-Chair Sandie Anderson, RN. “Management is treating nurses as second-class citizens.”

Nurses are asking management to make a commitment to patients to ensure there will be adequate staff to care for them and to personally explain to patients if staffing falls below planned-for levels.
… Read more about: Fairview Lakes fights 'offensive' proposals  »