HEALTH CARE
Op/Ed: Leadership not listening to front-line staff can negatively affect patients, staff and hospitals.
Investigation: Hospital grab at least $1 billion in extra fees for ER visits.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 21, 2012: Hospitals grabbing at least $1 billion in extra fees »
LABOR
Verizon Communications and two unions have reached tentative agreements for labor contracts covering about 43,000 workers after more than a year of negotiations and a strike.
HEALTH CARE
A federal judge dismissed Prime Healthcare Services’ lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente and a California workers’ union in what Prime called a conspiracy to whittle the hospital operator out of the market.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 20, 2012: Verizon, 43,000 Workers Reach Tentative Agreement »
Big News on the Robin Hood Tax front: Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison (pictured above) introduced a bill in Congress this week that would impose a tax on Wall Street speculation. The Inclusive Prosperity Act would raise up to $350 billion in annual revenues that would be used to breathe new life into Main Street communities across America, as well as international health, sustainable prosperity and environmental programs.
LABOR
After 7 days, the Chicago Teachers Strike is over and students are returning to the classroom.
Registered nurses at Menorah Medical Center have approved a labor contract to be represented by National Nurses Organizing Committee and National Nurses United.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 19, 2012: Robin Hood Tax Hits Congress; CTU Strike Ends »
LABOR
Latest from CTU Strike: Lawyers for Chicago Public Schools filed a lawsuit in Circuit Court this morning seeking a preliminary injunction to immediately end the teachers strike.
The Washington Post examines what the bombshell news out of Wisconsin this weekend might mean for Labor Unions nationally.
From The Los Angeles Times: A group with ties to the conservative billionaire Koch brothers has dropped $4 million to pass a ballot measure that would severely limit the political activity of labor unions.
Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school board members settled work agreements with three labor unions last week and set salaries for administrative employees not covered by collective bargaining units.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 17, 2012: What Wisconsin Ruling Might Mean For Labor Unions »
LABOR
The Chicago teachers strike enters its fifth day as “number crunching” apparently delayed a deal that both sides had hoped would be reached on Thursday.
HEALTH CARE
Op/Ed: Listen to front-line care solutions for inadequate staffing.
Bedside Manner Matters: In a follow-up to a smaller study published last year, researchers at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have concluded that more empathetic physicians achieve better clinical outcomes.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 14, 2012: End in Sight for Striking Chicago Teachers? »
LABOR
As their Strike enters its fourth day, news reports say the Chicago Teachers Union is close to reaching a deal with city officials.
Op/Ed from The New York Times – Unions Are Striking Back, at Last
HEALTH CARE
The federal government has found that collection practices at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview violated federal rules on patient rights as well as a law that calls on hospitals to stabilize emergency room patients before asking for payment.
On the health insurance front, employers and their workers are paying an average of 4 percent more this year in premiums for health insurance – an increase that’s more than double the rate of wage growth from last year.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 13, 2012: Feds say Fairview Violated Patient Rights, Laws with Debt Collection Tactics »
LABOR
The Chicago Teachers Strike enters Day 3 – read the latest developments.
Find out via National Nurses United’s Blog how you can help Chicago Teachers!
HEALTH CARE
MPR has a story out on the controversial new Community Paramedic certification program impacting rural Minnesota, and the coverage includes MNA’s take on the situation.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 12, 2012: Chicago Teachers Strike Enters Day 3; Community Paramedic Ranks Growing in MN »
Across the United States, we remember September 11.
LABOR
The Chicago Teachers Strike has become the biggest Labor-related story of 2012, and enters its second day in the Windy City.
A group of 325 Nurses in Kansas City represented by National Nurses United will vote this week whether or not to ratify a new contract offer that restructures wages and institutes stricter staffing levels.
HEALTH CARE
Why does your vote matter this fall? Consider the impact your choice can have on health care for children in the United States:
[youtube=http://youtu.be/a8SiheO7XlQ]
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Sept. 11, 2012: Never Forget; Chicago Teachers Strike Continues; KC RNs to Vote »
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 »
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 »