Organizing (Page 9)

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

By Nellie Munn, RN

Twelve thousand nurses in the Twin Cities are fending off a well-coordinated attack by corporate health care interests to diminish the power of our union. In a metropolitan area with one of the highest densities of organized nurses in the country, we know that if the employers take down the Minnesota Nurses Association, they can take down anyone.

The nurses authorized a one-day strike last week by more than 90 percent of 9,200 voting. Negotiations with 14 Twin Cities hospitals owned by six corporations started in March, but little actual back and forth has taken place.
… Read more about: The National Perspective from a MNA RN  »

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: John Nemo, MNA Public Relations, 651-414-2863

ST. PAUL (May 19, 2010) – Twin Cities nurses made history Wednesday by voting to authorize the largest nursing strike in U.S. history, with more than 12,000 RNs ready to walk off the job if a new contract agreement with six Twin Cities hospital systems can’t be reached before June 1, when the current labor deal expires.

Of the 9,000-plus Twin Cities RNs who voted Wednesday, more than 90 percent voted to reject the labor contracts and pension proposals from the hospitals.

“Thousands of us gathered here today for one simple reason,” said Minnesota Nurses Association President Linda Hamilton, an RN in the Children’s Hospital System.
… Read more about: It’s Official: Twin Cities Nurses Authorize Largest Strike in U.S. History  »

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(Note: Visit the Allina Bargaining page on the MNA Web site for previous updates)

UPDATE: Via Jim Danielson, a member of the Allina bargaining team, posted on MNA’s Facebook page:

We (MNA) talked about 2 of our proposals at length. We discussed why they are important to us. In specific, our proposal on “Leave of Absence” and our proposal on Organizing and Elections. We have done this with almost all of our proposals up to this point and we get rolling eyes and chuckling again yesterday. Instead of asking about our proposals, they asked us to respond to their proposals.
… Read more about: Allina Bargaining Update  »

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Hospitals are quick to say it’s no big deal if RNs are on strike and that patients are as safe as ever. However a new study by the National Bureau of Economic Research finds that RN strikes increase in-hospital mortality by 19.4% and 30-day readmission by 6.5% for patients admitted during a strike. The study suggests that hospitals functioning during nurses strikes are doing so at a lower quality of patient care.
… Read more about: RN Strikes and Patient Safety: Some Shocking Statistics  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Labor Unions, Organizing

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: John Nemo, 651-414-2863 or john.nemo@mnnurses.org

Hundreds of Minnesota Nurses to Rally Saturday
Gathering in Hopkins focused on patient safety, advocacy as nurses continue contract negotiations with area hospitals

ST. PAUL – More than 900 Minnesota nurses are expected to gather Saturday for a boisterous public rally focused on the importance of patient safety and advocacy as RNs continue contract negotiations with several Twin Cities hospital systems.

“On the heels of the historic healthcare legislation passed earlier this week, attention is focused on this industry like never before,” said Minnesota Nurses Association President Linda Hamilton, who works as an RN in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis.
… Read more about: Hundreds of Nurses to Rally for Patient Safety  »

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In: Bargaining, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Organizing

Employers Propose Major Reductions
Our pension plan is the envy of registered nurses around the country. It is a benefit that we negotiated years ago and have worked hard to protect. Many of us have worked for years in our hospitals, providing quality patient care every day, and deserve a pension that will allow us to retire when we are ready.

Pension bargaining with our employers got under way on Friday, March 5. We proposed moderate improvements to our pension. Our employers, on the other hand, proposed three major reductions in pension benefits.

Our Proposals