Nurses (Page 9)

board of directors

On:
In: Allina, Home, Nurses

By Mathew Keller

and

Jordan Ash

Allina is quickly racking up the amount of debt it carries, increasing its total obligation over the past ten years by 60 percent to $880 million. The magic question, however, is why Allina needs $880 million of debt. Why, if it is willing to spend such amounts on expansion and executive pay, is it so unwilling to invest in the healthcare of its nurses?­ As with all things big business, just follow the money.

Money which, in this case, leads directly to Piper Jaffray.  As you recall, Piper

Jaffray has had a huge hand in increasing Allina’s debt obligations, underwriting in conjunction with other banks $1.6 billion dollars in loans to the healthcare company since 1993.
… Read more about: Who is telling Allina to Mortgage the Future of Patient Care?  »

Allina big debt

On:
In: Activism, Allina, Home, Nurses

By

Mathew Keller and Jordan Ash

Allina Health claims it needs to take $10 million out of the pockets and healthcare of its nurses. The question is why, which begs a look at Allina’s finances. A check of Allina’s books, however, makes one question whether the company really is in good hands.

For starters, the amount Allina pays annually to big banks has grown to $60 million dollars a year. Allina’s current debt of $880 million dollars, in fact, represents a whopping 60 percent increase from just 10 years ago when Allina had $550 million in debt.
… Read more about: Allina’s Debt to Big Banks Increases by 60 Percent  »

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, 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: Allina, Home, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nurses Strike

By Mathew Keller, RN JD

Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

Ask any Allina nurse. They all know why they are on strike. Health insurance, patient safety, workplace violence, and maintaining a voice in the workplace are all important aspects of this action. But what about Allina’s claims that the money it would save from cuts to nurses’ total compensation would be put to patient care?

As Allina puts it, the $10 million it proposes to take from nurses “means a whole lot to what service we’re able to provide,” according to Allina CEO Penny Wheeler. Unsurprisingly absent from that statement is why Allina needs this 10 million for patient care, why it needs to take it from its nurses, and why it can’t come from other sources.
… Read more about: Allina claims $10 million needed from nurses to improve patient care  »

On:
In: Activism, Home, Legislative Policy, Nurses, Politics

By Barb Brady

MNA Communications Specialist

Amid all the frustration and chaos at the closing hours of the Minnesota Legislature this past weekend, there was one bright spot. MNA members from the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter came to the Capitol to lobby for funding to increase safety at their hospital – and made a difference.

“It was quite the ride,” said Lori Olson, chair of the MNA State Employees Bargaining Unit. “We went to the Capitol and got seats on the floor. We let people know we need money, staff, and funding.”

Olson and other members began texting some legislators, explaining why the funding is needed.
… Read more about: State Nurses Show Their Influence  »

On:
In: Home, Nurses

 

NWOP1[7]

By Eileen Gavin

MNA Political Organizer

I have a hard time choosing the right gift for certain occasions. Like a lot of people, I get lost in the hustle and bustle of holiday seasons, stressing over the perfect presents to buy my loved ones. Each year is difficult for me to buy the “right” Mother’s Day gift or birthday present for my brother or sisters. I get lost at the mall and find myself staring blankly at the shelves while I tell myself I have to buy something that will convey just right my love to the people who matter most to me.
… Read more about: A Reflection on Nurses Week  »

On:
In: Home, Hospitals, Nurses, Politics, Uncategorized

By Laura Sayles

MNA Government Affairs Specialist

With exactly two weeks left in the Legislative Session, there’s a lot left to accomplish in a short amount of time. None of the major spending bills have been ironed out and the parties that need to agree (House, Senate, and Governor) are far apart on their Session priorities. When looking through the overviews of the documents that will get us through the end of Session, the phrase “no comparable provision” is a common refrain.

 

Bonding bill – The Governor proposed funding $1.4 billion in projects; House Republicans, who haven’t yet released their bill, want around $600 million.
… Read more about: Behind the Scenes Look at the Capitol  »

On:
In: Healthcare, Home, Hospitals, Nurses, Politics, Women

By Geri Katz

MNA Healthcare Reform Specialist

While we all suffer from a lack of access in our fragmented, expensive, inefficient healthcare system, women at even greater disadvantage than American men. Healthcare’s high costs and drive for profits makes women, especially women of color, at a higher risk of unbearable medical bills and poorer health outcomes.

Women are much more likely experience periods of unemployment (and often a loss of health insurance) to care for family. At the same time, women’s specific health issues cause them to seek medical care more frequently, including pregnancy, childbirth, and higher rates of many chronic diseases.
… Read more about: Women and Equity  »

On:
In: Home, Nurses, Nursing, Nursing Education, Politics, Student Nurses

By Megan Gavin

MNA Education Specialist

On April 7, we welcomed 430 student nurses and faculty members from thirteen different colleges and universities to the MNA Student Nurses Day on the Hill. The event began with a social hour giving students an opportunity to network with MNA member leaders representing diverse nursing areas such as mental health, psychiatric nursing, surgery, PACU, oncology, and pediatrics. MNA committee and commission members hosted tables on Governmental Affairs, Nursing Practice, and Education Commissions as well as the MNA Foundation, Universal Healthcare, and the Nurses Peer-to-Peer Support Network.

President Mary Turner gave a welcome and shared her personal journey of becoming a politically active nurse.
… Read more about: Student Nurses Day on the Hill 2016 Is A Smashing Success  »