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On:
In: Allina, Home, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nurses Strike

By Megan Gavin

MNA Education Specialist

I opened a card last week that read, “Thank you so much for granting me hardship funds…without your generosity and assistance I don’t know how I’d get through. It is with heart-felt gratitude that I write to thank you all, for all you’ve continued to do throughout our difficult contract negotiations. Please know how grateful I truly am.” The sender continues with an anecdote about her personal experience and how these funds helped her, and I was in tears before finishing.

As MNA’s education specialist, I’ve been putting together workshops on the community resources for union members during a strike.
… Read more about: What can you get for $1.67 a month?  »

On:
In: Allina, Bargaining, Essentia, Home, Labor Unions, Legislative Policy, Politics

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  »

On:
In: Allina, Bargaining, Home, Press Releases

For Immediate Release

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) – August 1, 2016 – Contract negotiations ended today when nurses received another offer from Allina Health that eliminates all four of their contract health insurance plans. The nurses’ negotiations team will take the offer to the membership to vote to accept or reject later this month.

At the opening of today’s negotiations session, the nurse negotiating team re-submitted the proposal from July 22 that met the hospital company half-way by ending two of the four contract health insurance plans.
… Read more about: Press Release: Negotiations End as Allina Health Widens the Gap in Talks with Nurses  »

Allina Strike

On:
In: Allina, Bargaining, Home, Hospitals, Minnesota Nurses Association

By Mathew Keller RN, JD

Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist
“Magnet” status, a prestigious accreditation awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (an arm of the American Nurses Association), is desired and sought after by hospitals across the country.  Only 6 percent of hospitals ever achieve it, however.  Magnet hospitals demonstrate excellence in patient care and nursing services and are expected to attain and retain top talent, improve care, ensure safety, develop nurse satisfaction, foster a collaborative culture, advance nursing standards and practice, and grow business and financial success.

At Magnet hospitals there is low nurse turnover and appropriate grievance resolution.
… Read more about: Does Abbott-Northwestern Stand to Lose its Magnet Status?  »

On:
In: Activism, Home, Politics

By Eileen Gavin

MNA Political Organizer

In the entryway of my house, I have a bust of President John F. Kennedy, so I start and end my day looking in the eyes of one of my heroes. The other night, another mass shooting, another black man- this one caring for a man with autism- shot by police, tears rolled down my cheeks. I had to turn it all off. I looked to JFK.

Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past.
… Read more about: What’s the Right Answer?  »

On:
In: Bargaining, 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

(Duluth) – July 25, 2016 – Nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth and Superior are taking their frustration with the lack of progress on contract negotiations to the public with an informational picket at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth on July 27.

Nurses have been negotiating with Essentia Health since April. Essentia is trying to force nurses into unacceptable concessions on health insurance while rejecting nurses’ proposals to ensure nurses have the right number of patients at one time in order to care for them safely.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses to picket Essentia Wednesday, July 27  »

On:
In: Bargaining, 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

(Duluth) – July 15, 2016 – Hundreds of MNA nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth and Superior will hold an informational picket July 27 to publicly urge the hospital system to negotiate a fair contract.

Nurses on July 14 gave the required 10-day notice of the picket in front of St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth from 1-5:30 p.m.

“Essentia is insisting on unacceptable concessions while ignoring our calls for safe staffing,” MNA Essentia Bargaining Unit Chair Steve Strand said.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth, Superior set July 27 informational picket  »

On:
In: Allina, Bargaining, Home, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Unsafe Staffing

By Mary Turner

MNA President

 

When 5,000 Allina nurses went on strike for seven days last month, I spoke to so many who were determined but anxious. Would the public understand why they made the difficult decision to strike, rather than accept Allina’s demand that they give up their affordable healthcare? Would the public understand that they had to stand up to Allina when they refused to discuss our issues, including safe staffing and violence?

If you had a chance to be at one of the five picket lines during the strike, you know that the public definitely understood why nurses were outside.
… Read more about: Solidarity is Alive and Well  »

On:
In: 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

(Baudette) – July 1, 2016 – Nurses and technical staff employed at LakeWood Health Center in Baudette said ‘yes’ to contract representation by the Minnesota Nurses Association in a June 30 vote.

MNA will represent RNs, LPNs, technicians, and technologists at LakeWood. The new bargaining unit will now begin preparations to bargain a first contract.

“We are excited about having a voice in our workplace so we can continue to advocate for our patients,” said McCall Plourde, a Radiologic Technologist at LakeWood.
… Read more about: Press Release: LakeWood nurses, technical workers vote for MNA representation  »

On:
In: Allina, Home

Questions Remain to be Answered Before Agreement Can be Reached

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

Minneapolis – June 25, 2016 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association report strong attendance on the picket lines around Allina Health hospitals during the week-long strike, which they say indicates a coming together of nurses at all the hospitals.  They also said, however, that seven days of no information from Allina Health CEO Dr. Penny Wheeler has left them feeling farther apart from the company and less optimistic about an agreement.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses closer together but feel farther apart from Allina  »