Labor Unions (Page 34)

On:
In: Bargaining, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing

The stats don’t lie – the type of safe staffing language Twin Cities nurses are proposing to Twin Cities hospitals during 2010 contract negotiations not only improves patient safety and quality of care, but it also saves the hospitals money!

Safe staffing ratios save hospitals money

  • Adding 133,000 RNs to the acute care hospital workface across the U.S. would produce medical savings estimated at $6.1 billion in reduced patient care costs, not including the value of increased productivity when nurses help patients recover more quickly, an estimated additional $231 million per year. Combining medical savings with increased productivity, the partial estimates of economic value averages $57,700 for each of the additional 133,000 RNs.

    • … Read more about: MNA’s Proposed Safe Staffing Ratios Would Save Twin Cities Hospitals Money  »

On:
In: Bargaining, Hospitals, Labor Unions

The morning started out with unexpected and pleasant welcome from RNs from St Joe’s, who brought the bargaining team coffee and muffins. Thanks so much to the RNs from Joe’s who showed us their support!

Today in bargaining we engaged management around several proposals. We started out the day listening to a presentation from Management’s financial people. They told us how poor HealthEast is and how much trouble they might be in in ten years. It seemed like the same old song and dance to me. How long has HealthEast been telling us they don’t have money? Kinda reminds me of “The boy who cried wolf.” They then told us they only made $2.9 million dollars in 2009.
… Read more about: HealthEast Bargaining Update (April 27)  »

On:
In: Bargaining, Hospitals, Labor Unions

From Sydney Pederson, RN, Children’s Hospital St. Paul, who is a member of the MNA Children’s Bargaining Team:

(NOTE: Make sure to visit the Children’s Bargaining Page on the MNA Web site for other updates/etc on Children’s bargaining.

Never before has the employer asked for concessions of this size and scope.  The employer has chosen to pick a fight with Nurses, whose primary focus is providing safe patient care, ensuring the rights of patients and advancing nursing practice.

These negotiations have brought to light there is a national orchestration by hospitals employers to enforce the lowest acceptable standards of care n areas of patient safety, patient advocacy, and patient protecting.
… Read more about: Children’s Bargaining – An Insider’s View  »

On:
In: Bargaining, Labor Unions

Nurse – Jeanne Adomaitis, RN, Methodist

It was great to see all the nurses at bargaining today!  Unfortunately, management kept dozens of nurses waiting for 40 minutes.  For every other meeting they have been on time.

Karen Anderson, RN from Labor and Delivery, spoke eloquently about what it is like to be a nurse.

In addition to concerns about the current staffing process, we presented:

  1. A method to decrease the cost and increase the speed of grievances to go to arbitration.
  2. A plan to have an agreed-upon process for a fair and free choice to be unionized (ie Melrose).

    3. … Read more about: Methodist Bargaining Update (April 22)  »