Duluth Bargaining (Page 5)

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: John Nemo, MNA, 651-414-2863 or e-mail

DULUTH, Minn. (July 6, 2010) – More than 1,300 Duluth Nurses will conduct informational picketing from 12:00-5:00 p.m. on July 12th outside SMDC Medical Center to call attention to unsafe staffing levels.

“Here at St. Mary’s and Miller Dwan (SMDC), we currently have more than 800 open nursing shifts over a four-week period from mid-June to mid-July,” said Steve Strand, RN. “The hospital is literally begging nurses to work double shifts and overtime to try and fill all these gaps.
… Read more about: Duluth Nurses to Conduct Info Picketing July 12  »

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Today was our fifth negotiation meeting with management of SMDC. Our current contract expires at midnight. Management continued with their theme of NO!

Three main things happened today:
1.No progress, measured by…
2.No responses to our staffing proposal
3.No economic proposal. (Note: The MNA economic proposal includes fair wage increases, fair pension contributions and health insurance.)

“I am sad and depressed that such a beautiful Duluth day was wasted in negotiations as no forward progress was made today.  Management has been absolutely non-responsive and it appears they are stalling to see what happens in the Metro Area.  At out last meeting we informed Management that today we would have the Economic Proposal as our primary topic.  
… Read more about: Duluth Bargaining – SMDC Update (June 30)  »

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I live and work in northern Minnesota, Duluth to be specific.   I can appreciate the occasional grand snow storm, one in which limited nurses and other staff is able to get to the hospital to work.  We call those days “snow days” and only the basics are truly expected to be done with the limited staff available.  The patients seem to recognize the hardship and in part take in the experience with understanding.

However… when the majority of shifts we work feels like a “snow day” and it has become more of the norm to run like crazy all shift and consistently not have enough staff to care for the patients, we are teetering on a disaster waiting to happen.  
… Read more about: My Story: Renee Ebel, RN  »

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Today was our fourth negotiation session with management of SMDC. After meeting for over a month, they finally responded to some of our proposals. In response to our proposal which gives nurses the ability to temporarily close a unit to admissions due to unsafe staffing situations the answer was loud and clear NO.

Jerry Zanko director of employee and labor relations at SMDC said “I have no interest in agreeing to language that isn’t worth the paper it is written on!”  Zanko’s response to whether or not they would have a counter proposal next week was ‘perhaps’.

Management proposed language that would have taken four long time nurses out of the contract.
… Read more about: June 24 Duluth Bargaining Update – SMDC  »

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From the St. Luke’s bargaining committee: In our fifth bargaining session with management of St. Luke’s hospital, we had a detailed discussion about the implementation of our nurse-to-patient ratios which research has proven to is better for patient outcomes. Management asked clarifying questions and listened to our explanations. Nothing has come back from management across the table regarding safe patient care.  We expect to make major progress in our next meeting and we continue to take steps towards this, yet are prepared to show how serious we are in our commitment for safe patient care.

From Kate Donovan RN 7W: “Today was our fifth bargaining session.
… Read more about: Duluth Bargaining Update (June 22)  »

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Today was our fourth bargaining meeting with St. Luke’s. Our contract proposal with concrete nurse to patient ratios will provide time for nurses to give our patients the safe care they deserve. St. Luke’s believes that the current grids which provide one RN for nine patients on most west side units on days and evenings is safe staffing. Nights are even worse on the west side, the ratio can be up to 1 RN to 13 patients. The current grid provides an average of 6.5 minutes of time per patient per hour, which does not include any charting, admissions, discharges and more.
… Read more about: June 16: Duluth Bargaining Update (St. Luke’s)  »

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Today’s message:

1.       The employer (SMDC) was not prepared to respond to our proposals, presented 2 weeks ago which include staffing.

2.       MNA told management that the number of open shifts on the new schedule was unconscionable for a facility of its size and as a trauma center.

3.       The employer data validates a significant decrease in the number of RN’s, the number of FTE’s and full time positions.

4.       MNA informed the employer they would request a meeting w/ JACHO w/ pending site visit over staffing and safety issues.
… Read more about: SMDC Duluth Bargaining Update (June 10)  »