Video Blog: I Signed the MNA-backed Solidarity Statement
2020-10-14
Note: the content below is the opinion of the creator or signed authors.
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It’s a Prime Day to Stand up for Workers
2019-07-16
By Cameron Fure
MNA Political Organizer
On Monday, July 15, workers at the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Shakopee held a picket to bring light to unfair working conditions at their sprawling worksite in the southeast metro. Workers from New York, Seattle, San Francisco and locations across Europe were also holding demonstrations to raise awareness on “Prime Day,” which is one of the largest shopping days of the year.
Workers were highlighting issues such as humane workloads, job security around not hiring “temp” workers, stopping unfair write-ups, investment in communities, and ending retaliation.
The event was organized by the Awood Center, which seeks to bring power to East African workers.
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Press Release: St. Alexius nurses in North Dakota vote to affiliate with Minnesota Nurses Association
2019-03-06
Contact: Barb Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org
(Bismarck, N.D.) – March 6, 2019 – An overwhelming majority of registered nurses at CHI St. Alexius Medical Center chose to be represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association during two days of voting this week.
“St. Alexius nurses want to provide top quality care to all our patients by having a voice in our workplace,” said Margo Maxon, an RN at the hospital. “Nurses believe coming together and speaking with one voice is the best way to advocate for our patients.”
“MNA members welcome St. Alexius nurses to our union family,” said MNA President Mary C.
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Taste of Justice
2018-01-30
By Cameron Fure
MNA Political Organizer
It’s Super Bowl week, and the mayhem has swept up the Twin Cities. The whole region is sprucing up and getting ready for the big game. It’s our chance to bask in the spotlight, and host one of the largest sporting events in the world. The North Star state is known the world over for its hospitality, but there’s a few things that visitors do not know. The story of the Franklin Street Bakery workers isn’t likely to appear in any halftime commercial.
Owner Wayne Kostroski wants to be known as a philanthropist, business mogul, and model citizen.
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What Kind of Minnesota Do We Want to Live In?
2017-09-05
By Katie Gjertson
MNA Political Coordinator
Anyone who spent any time at the Minnesota State Fair quickly realized that candidates have launched their political campaigns for governor. Campaign teams were gathered around the candidates, and everyone talked in animated conversation. Colorful signs with logos and slogans outlining the candidate’s positions were around every corner. This one is a pretty big deal for Minnesota, and this election will determine our collective destiny.
No matter our differences as Minnesotans, we all want pretty similar things: respect and dignity at work; access to quality, affordable health care when we need it; to be able to provide for our families; to supply our kids with shoes and everything they need for a school year; to be safe in our communities and to arrive safely at work or school; to have access to fresh fruits and vegetables; to be able to take the time off work when we or a loved one is sick; clean water, clean air, and clean lakes; to afford the occasional vacation; and to be able to retire with dignity.
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Top Ten Highlights from the People’s Summit in Chicago
2017-06-29
By Katie Gjertson
MNA Political Coordinator
This past June 9 – 11, more than 4,000 of my closest friends and strongest allies (nurses, community members, Bernie supporters, environmentalists, activists, and big-name speakers) got together to collaborate, plan, share ideas and strategies, and generally be inspired by one another. Here are my top ten favorite moments from the People’s Summit in Chicago that will maybe inspire more to come next year!
- Former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner. Wow! Nina Turner is my hero! Nina had several speaking opportunities on stage, but, hands-down, the highlight was her Sunday morning talk titled, “Wake-up for Justice.” Nina, in a dress and tennis shoes, worked the crowd, roaming up and down the aisles as she talked about the movement moment we are in while drawing connections to the American Revolution and the Civil Rights movement.
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MNA welcomes Bemidji Clinic nurses
2014-11-14
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Nurses at Sanford Bemidji Clinic are now part of the Minnesota Nurses Association, after a five-month campaign to be part of the union.
The nurses knew the value of belonging to a union, and campaigned hard for representation. They wore “Union Now” stickers and marched a petition to management to show they were standing strong for union representation and a voice in the workplace.
Nurses at the Sanford Bemidji Medical Center, who are already MNA members, circulated petitions expressing their support of clinic nurses becoming part of their bargaining unit.
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MNA Welcomes New Members in Baudette
2014-07-03
About one-tenth of the population of a northern Minnesota town now belongs to MNA.
Nearly 100 employees at LakeWood Health Center in Baudette (population 1,080) voted last week in favor of contract representation by the MNA.
The successful vote was the result of a determined effort by workers who wanted to advocate more strongly for patients and employees. The new bargaining unit will represent most non-management employees.
“We kept having more duties and more work to do as they outsourced and cut,” said RN Bonnie Harness. “We were really upset. LakeWood needed to work with us but they didn’t want to.”
A group of LakeWood employees contacted MNA in January and the campaign to organize began.
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Monster Week for Nurse Contracts Across Minnesota
2014-06-07
Nurses flex collective muscle with three ratifications, two tentative agreements within five days
Celebratory emails were lighting up MNA inboxes for five straight days as announcement after announcement arrived of contract victories all over the state.
146 nurses at Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Austin, MN started the buzz with a contract ratification on Wed., May 28. 114 Mayo colleagues 40 miles away approved their agreement just one day later. On Monday, it was 287 nurses at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center in northwest Minnesota who ratified their contract.
The run continued on Tuesday, with two notices of tentative agreements.
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Signs of Support for IFalls Nurses Line the Streets
2014-04-16
Imagine everyone in your town wanting to let you know you are awesome. MNA nurses in International Falls don’t have to dream.
Eight months into negotiating a contract with management at Rainy Lake Medical Center (RLMC), the 27-member bargaining unit is literally seeing signs of support throughout this picturesque city that shares a border with Canada.
Over 100 signs, sporting the message “We Support Our Nurses” are being posted in shop windows; hoisted high by firefighters, paramedics and EMTs; cradled by senior apartment residents; and displayed on bulletin boards throughout the city’s commercial districts. It’s a message warmly given from the town often referred to as “America’s Icebox.” In addition, members of several other unions in the area have signed petitions of solidarity for the nurses.
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