Labor Unions (Page 12)

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Labor Unions, Nurses

NOTES ON NURSING

CDC Says US Flu Season Starts Early; Could be Bad    Flu season in the United States is off to its earliest start in nearly a decade — and it could be a bad one

HEALTH CARE

GOP Counteroffer Would Raise Medicare Age    Republicans are proposing a “fiscal cliff” plan that revives ideas from failed budget talks with President Barack Obama last year, calling for raising the eligibility age for Medicare, lowering cost-of-living hikes for Social Security benefits and bringing in $800 billion in higher tax revenue.

LABOR NEWS

Domestic Workers’ Plight Demonstrates Need for Labor Protection    Twenty-three percent of all domestic workers in the United States and 67 percent of live-in workers, including nannies, housecleaners, and elder caregivers, earn less than minimum wage.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, December 4, 2012: Flu season could be severe  »

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In: Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing

LABOR NEWS

Can you Hear Us Now?  Sugar Workers Reject Contract 4th Straight Time    One of the longest work stoppages in recent Minnesota history will continue as locked-out union workers at American Crystal Sugar Saturday rejected essentially the same contract for the fourth time, with 55 percent voting against.

NY Times Announces Buyouts, Hints at Layoffs    The New York Times said on Monday that it will offer buyouts to some of its newsroom staff, and may lay journalists off if not enough people accept the severance package.

HEALTH CARE

America’s Stunningly Overpriced Health Care System in 2 Charts    It’s no secret that the U.S.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, December 3, 2012: FOUR! Sugar workers reject contract- again; 60 Minutes exposes HMA  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Organizing

NOTES ON NURSING

Simple Measures Reduce Infections Caught in Hospitals   Solutions included having patients shower with special germ-fighting soap before surgery, and having surgery teams change gowns, gloves and instruments during operations to prevent spreading germs picked up during the procedures.

MNA Day, December 6 – As our bargaining team negotiates, let’s show employers how serious nurses are about our profession, our patients and our communities.

Worchester Nurses Forced to Choose Between Flu Shot and Mask   A new hospital flu shot policy is causing controversy among the nursing
staff at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 30, 2012: MNA Day; Flu shot or mask  »

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics, Unsafe Staffing

LABOR NEWS

Unions Mobilize in Opposition to Right to Work as Preventive Measure   Michigan Republicans could decide as early as today whether or not to introduce a “right-to-work” proposal for consideration during the final weeks of the 2011-12 legislative session.

NOTES ON NURSING

Metro Nurses Clue Legislators in on Staffing Issues  The second in a series of statewide Legislative “Meet and Greet” forums was held at MNA offices last night.  Eighteen metro area legislators joined nurses to hear a policy briefing from Government Affairs Specialists Carrie Mortrud, RN and Shannon Cunningham, followed by a lively discussion of MNA’s top priorities, safe staffing and protecting Minnesota’s high nursing standards.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 29, 2012: Metro legislators & RNs talk nursing values  »

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In: Activism, Health Care Reform, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Legislative Policy, National Nurses United, Nurses, Nursing, Organizing, Politics, Unsafe Staffing

NOTES ON NURSING


MNA Legislative Meet & Greet in Alexandria an Eye-Opener for Elected Officials

30 nurses from Bemidji, Alexandria, and Fergus Falls gathered on Nov. 20 for a “Meet and Greet” with local legislators and a continuing education session on nurse advocacy.
MNA Nursing Practice Specialist Carol Deimert and MNA President Linda Hamilton presented on the Main Street Contract and the history of advocacy in nursing, “Nurses have a long history of being leaders in advocating for women’s rights, civil rights, and improvements to our healthcare system,” explained Deimert.
After the presentation, Rep. Paul Anderson (GOP- Starbuck) and Rep.-Elect (Ben Lein DFL-Moorhead) came to meet nurses and discuss some of the nursing issues the legislature may be addressing this session.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 28, 2012: MNA RNs in west central MN step up push for safe staffing; NY nurses leave ANA  »

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing

HEALTH CARE

Hospitals Spend Big Advertising Bucks to Attract New Patients   But some health care experts question whether hospitals should spend so much money on promotion and advertising, especially the nonprofit health systems that pour tax-exempt funds into these campaigns.

Accretive Pays Harassed Hospital Patients   Minnesota hospital patients who endured abusive billing tactics linked to Accretive Health Inc. have begun receiving restitution payments averaging $4,000 apiece, Attorney General Lori Swanson said Tuesday.

Political Cartoon:  Pilgrim’s Progress

LABOR UPDATES

Support Wal-Mart Workers on Black Friday

Worker Group Says Wal-Mart Management Scripted to Threaten Workers

EEOC Settlements Indicate Employers Pay Big For Sexual Harassment   Recent EEOC settlements demonstrate that when faced with egregious sexual harassment allegations, many employers would rather settle than face bad press, a prolonged trial and uncertain outcomes.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 21, 2012: Accretive pays; Thanks nurses  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Health Care Reform, Hospitals, Labor Unions, National Nurses United, Nurses, Nurses Strike, Nursing, Politics

NOTES ON NURSING


Natick (MA) Nurses Want More Staff   Mancuso, a Milford resident, said nurses have to pick up some duties of  personal care assistants, and also handle post-operative care that may pull them  away from their regular rounds.”Overall we’re taking on more hats and not getting any help,” she said.

Strike is On at 10 Northern California Hospitals   This is the latest protest over demands by Sutter corporate officials for sweeping reductions in patient care protections and nurses’ contract standards – despite Sutter being one of the wealthiest hospital chains in the U.S.

LABOR UPDATES

Be Wary of the “Fix the Debt” Coalition    Fix the Debt, the unserious coalition of CEOs and corporations who are lobbying to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid while increasing tax breaks for their companies to send jobs overseas, have spent nearly $1 billion in lobbying and campaign contributions during the past four years, according to a new Public Campaign study.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 20, 2012: Sutter profits-patients suffer; Vets unaware of benefits due them  »

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In: Activism, Health Care Reform, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Organizing, Politics

LABOR UPDATES

Dayton Urges Union Members to Fight for Better Pay   DFL Gov. Mark Dayton told several hundred janitors, security officers, airport service workers and retail cleaners on Saturday that they won’t get the wages they deserve unless they negotiate for it.

HEALTH CARE

Why Health Care Costs Trillions Less in Canada    Between 1980 and 2009, Medicare  spending per beneficiary in the U.S. rose from $1,215 to $9,446, which was a  198% increase after adjusting for inflation. But in Canada, comparable spending  rose from $2,141 to $9,292, or an inflation-adjusted rate of 73%. Think of it  this way: for every $10 spent on services in the U.S., Canada spent $3.36.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 19, 2012: Hospital racket slows recovery; O! Canada for economical, great health care  »

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In: Activism, Health Care Reform, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nurses Strike, Nursing, Politics

HEALTH CARE

In the continuing meningitis outbreak scandal, today’s NY Times has an expose on how high-powered corporate influence helped drug compounders avoid tighter rules.

Cost of Providing Health Benefits Rises at Lowest Level in 15 Years   …. the rest of the story is that the low rate is directly due to employers forcing high-deductible plans on workers.

NOTES ON NURSING

Sutter, HCA Nurses to Strike November 20   At the Sutter hospitals, the walkout is in response to demands by Sutter corporate officials for sweeping reductions in patient care protections and nurses’ contract standards at these hospitals.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, November 15, 2012: 49.7M in poverty; More workers face high-deductible health plans  »