Essentia (Page 2)

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In: Duluth, Essentia, Home, Labor Unions, Organizing, Press Releases, Unions

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact:  Amber Smigiel
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

Lauren Bloomquist
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.bloomquist@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – November 27, 2023 – Tomorrow, November 28, 2023, healthcare workers at Essentia East Market Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) will hold a press conference to announce organizing and filing for an election vote to be represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association.  The APPs filed for an election with the National Labor Relations Board on November 27, and an election date has yet to be determined. 

 “I believe that unionizing will give us the collective voice to advocate for necessary changes in our working conditions so that we can bring our best selves to work each day, and for protection against policies that are harmful to staff and patient care.
… Read more about: Healthcare workers at Essentia East Market Advanced Practice Providers to announce organizing, filing for union representation  »

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In: Duluth, Essentia, Home, Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – July 27, 2023 – Thursday, Essentia Health and Marshfield Clinic Health System announced they have taken the next step in their planned merger. The following is a statement from Minnesota Nurses Association First Vice President Chris Rubesch, RN, at Essentia Health Duluth.

“As always, MNA nurses’ number one priority is providing the highest quality care to our patients and communities.  We will be reviewing the impact this announced merger will have on nurses, our profession, and our patients.
… Read more about: Statement on Essentia Health and Marshfield Clinic Health Systems planned merger  »

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In: Action, Duluth, Essentia, Home, Press Releases

MEDIA ADVISORY

Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Nurses will gather to make signs at new MNA Duluth office on Tuesday, ahead of Friday picket 

(Duluth) – July 17, 2023 – This Friday, Essentia Health nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) will hold an informational picket outside of the new St. Mary’s Medical Center amid ongoing staffing concerns at the health system. On Tuesday, nurses will gather to make picket signs at the new MNA Duluth office in the Labor Temple. Details on both events are included below.
… Read more about: Essentia nurses to picket new St. Mary’s Medical Center on Friday amid ongoing staffing concerns  »

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In: Action, Essentia, Healthcare, Press Releases, Unions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – March 25, 2022 – At 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, Mar. 30, 2022, Duluth nurses will be joined by area labor leaders and elected officials to call on Essentia to do right by workers at their new outpatient surgical center at Miller Hill Health Plaza.  

At the event, Duluth nurses will share their concerns about the effect of Essentia’s corporate healthcare policies on employees and patient care as the health system prepares to open the new surgical facility.
… Read more about: Duluth nurses, elected officials, labor leaders to call on Essentia to do right by workers at new facility  »

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In: Activism, Essentia, Hospitals, Patient Safety

Late last year, nurses in North Dakota and northern Minnesota learned of a plan from Essentia Health to pursue acquisition talks with CHI/Common Spirit Health Care. The plan was for Essentia Health to acquire 14 facilities and take over management and services they provide to mainly rural communities across northern Minnesota and North Dakota.

From the start, MNA members were concerned about the implications this deal would have on patient care in many critical access facilities. Nurses were familiar with the past dealings of Essentia in Moose Lake, taking over the small community hospital and immediately shuttering services and sending patients to the system hub in Duluth.
… Read more about: Nurses celebrate a win as CHI/Essentia merger falls through  »

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In: CHI, Essentia, Press Releases

Media Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

 

Workers Worried Patients Will Lose Care Close to Home

(St. Paul) – May 3, 2021 – Nurse and healthcare worker members of the Minnesota Nurses Association have filed a petition with Essentia Health to notify them they are concerned the company’s takeover of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI) hospitals will result in less access to patient care, not more.

In January, Essentia Health and Common Spirit, CHI’s parent company, signed a letter of agreement where Essentia would assume control of 14 facilities and numerous clinics throughout Minnesota and North Dakota.
… Read more about: MNA Members File Petition Over Essentia-CHI Takeover  »

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In: Bargaining, Duluth Bargaining, Essentia, Home, Hospitals

By Laura Sayles

MNA Government Affairs Specialist

 

Last Tuesday, MNA nurses staged informational pickets at Essentia St. Mary’s and St. Luke’s hospitals in Duluth.  The nurses that work at those hospitals have been working without a contract since June of this year.  They’ve been in negotiations with management but because they were unable to make headway to come to a solution that works for nurses and the hospital management, nurses want patients to know the nurses’ contract affects the care they receive.

 

MNA nurses made the decision to stage an informational picket when they felt that their voices weren’t being heard in negotiations. 
… Read more about: The Power of Collective Action: Duluth Informational Pickets  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Essentia, Home

After multiple contract negotiating sessions, MNA nurses in the Twin Ports are turning to the public in their campaign for a fair contract.

Nurses at Essentia and St. Luke’s hospitals in Duluth and Superior packed the July 8 Duluth City Council meeting to share their concerns and ask for councilors’ support as they negotiate new contracts. Their current contracts expired June 30.

Nearly 200 nurses filled the council chamber and hallways as four MNA members and MNA Executive Director Rose Roach addressed councilors about their concerns about patient care, scheduling the appropriate number of nurses to care for patients, and workplace safety.
… Read more about: Spectacular show of solidarity  »

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In: Essentia, Home, Press Releases

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

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

 

(St. Paul) – November 20, 2017 – The Minnesota Nurses Association will file grievances to win back the jobs and wages of every single registered nurse fired for not participating in Essentia Health’s mandatory flu shot policy.

“Essentia Health showed nurses they did not intend to bargain with us in good faith,” said Steve Strand, co-chair of the bargaining unit in Duluth.  “We tried to sit down with management, but Essentia executives told us they intend to follow through with terminations and mandatory flu shots regardless.”

MNA nurses proposed a voluntary program that rewards employees for participating in the flu shot, rather than a contentious mandatory policy. 
… Read more about: Press Release: MNA Nurses Will Battle Essentia Health Over Flu Shot Firings  »

CentraCare

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In: CentraCare, Essentia, Fairview, Healthcare, HMO, Home, Hospitals, Insurance, Issues

By Tara Fugate

MNA Strategic Researcher

Hospital and health system consolidation is a rapidly expanding trend across the country, and Minnesota is no exception. Many large and mid-sized health systems have been looking to privatize the state’s dwindling number of public hospitals, combine smaller non-profit systems, and also incorporate physicians’ groups and outpatient services into hospital systems. The driving arguments to lobby for these mergers are that larger entities can provide more integrated care and have the ability to make bigger financial investments to improve the quality of care via new tools, such as electronic health records systems. Many studies, however, have shown that price, cost and quality of care are not improved by mergers (see below for links).
… Read more about: Why Minnesotans Should Pay Attention to Hospital Consolidation  »