Press Releases (Page 30)

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Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – August 19, 2016 – After months of trying to negotiate a fair contract, MNA nurses at Twin Ports Essentia Health hospitals are going to the public with their concerns about the hospital system’s refusal to respond to safe staffing proposals by sponsoring billboards in Superior and Duluth.

The billboards read, “Has Essentia lost the care in healthcare? Ask an MNA nurse about staffing.”

“Nurses hope that publicly calling Essentia out on our concerns over safe staffing will bring them back to the negotiating table ready to agree to a contract that benefits all involved: nurses, our hospitals, patients, and our community,” said Essentia Twin Ports MNA Co-Chair Steve Strand.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses sponsor billboards to call attention to Essentia’s refusal to negotiate safe staffing  »

For Immediate Release

Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – August 1, 2016 – Contract negotiations ended today when nurses received another offer from Allina Health that eliminates all four of their contract health insurance plans. The nurses’ negotiations team will take the offer to the membership to vote to accept or reject later this month.

At the opening of today’s negotiations session, the nurse negotiating team re-submitted the proposal from July 22 that met the hospital company half-way by ending two of the four contract health insurance plans.
… Read more about: Press Release: Negotiations End as Allina Health Widens the Gap in Talks with Nurses  »

Contact:  Rick Fuentes

(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Barbara Brady

(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – July 25, 2016 – Nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth and Superior are taking their frustration with the lack of progress on contract negotiations to the public with an informational picket at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth on July 27.

Nurses have been negotiating with Essentia Health since April. Essentia is trying to force nurses into unacceptable concessions on health insurance while rejecting nurses’ proposals to ensure nurses have the right number of patients at one time in order to care for them safely.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses to picket Essentia Wednesday, July 27  »

Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – July 15, 2016 – Hundreds of MNA nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth and Superior will hold an informational picket July 27 to publicly urge the hospital system to negotiate a fair contract.

Nurses on July 14 gave the required 10-day notice of the picket in front of St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth from 1-5:30 p.m.

“Essentia is insisting on unacceptable concessions while ignoring our calls for safe staffing,” MNA Essentia Bargaining Unit Chair Steve Strand said.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth, Superior set July 27 informational picket  »

Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Baudette) – July 1, 2016 – Nurses and technical staff employed at LakeWood Health Center in Baudette said ‘yes’ to contract representation by the Minnesota Nurses Association in a June 30 vote.

MNA will represent RNs, LPNs, technicians, and technologists at LakeWood. The new bargaining unit will now begin preparations to bargain a first contract.

“We are excited about having a voice in our workplace so we can continue to advocate for our patients,” said McCall Plourde, a Radiologic Technologist at LakeWood.
… Read more about: Press Release: LakeWood nurses, technical workers vote for MNA representation  »

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

Minneapolis – June 23, 2016 – Striking nurses renewed their invitation to Allina CEO Penny Wheeler to have a direct conversation with them – and expanded the invitation to Allina Board of Directors Chair John Church, an executive vice president of General Mills.

“Nurses are growing increasingly frustrated with the resounding silence from Dr. Wheeler and the Board of Directors, who should be stepping up and calling for a resolution,” said Abbott Northwestern RN Angela Becchetti. “We invited Dr.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses Renew Call for Allina CEO to Talk Directly to Them  »

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – June 17, 2017 – MNA nurses at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth ratified a new contract on June 16.

Nurses voted for a three-year contract that includes wage increases, improvements to retirement benefits, and incentives to ensure enough nurses are scheduled to provide safe patient care.

“We negotiated a fair contract that recognizes the important work nurses do,” MNA St. Luke’s Bargaining Unit Chair Cindy Prout said. “We hope Essentia Health will join St.
… Read more about: Press Release: MNA nurses ratify contract with St. Luke’s Hospital  »

Contact: Rick Fuentes

(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – June 8, 2016 – Today the Minnesota Nurses Association delivered the 10-day Notice of Intent to Strike to Allina Health executives. MNA Nurses at all five metro Allina hospitals will strike for seven days starting at 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 19, 2016 to 7 a.m. Sunday, June 26, 2016. This strike involves approximately 5,000 nurses at Abbott Northwestern, Phillips Eye Institute, Mercy, United, and Unity.

“We hope this action sends a clear-cut message to Allina what we think of their May 31 offer,” said Angela Becchetti, RN at Abbott Northwestern hospital.
… Read more about: Press Release: MNA nurses tell Allina Health strike begins June 19  »

Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – June 6, 2016 – Nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest offer by Allina Health and authorize the negotiating team to call a strike in the coming weeks.

Since February, the owner of Abbott Northwestern/Phillips Eye Institute, Mercy, United, and Unity hospitals has continued to make the same proposal to take away nurses’ affordable health plans and move them to corporate plans with big out-of-pocket costs for employees.

“Nurses know what’s at stake.
… Read more about: Press Release: MNA Nurses Reject Allina Contract Offer, Authorize Strike Strike Plans Now Being Made  »

Contact:  Rick Fuentes

(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Barbara Brady

(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Baudette) – March 24, 2016 – LakeWood Health Center employees will detail how the hospital violated their rights to unionize during a hearing conducted by the National Labor Relations Board in Baudette April 5-8.

The hearing follows a complaint the National Labor Relations Board issued in February that found LakeWood “interfered with, restrained or coerced employees in the exercise of their rights” to unionize.

The complaint was in response to Unfair Labor Practice charges filed by the Minnesota Nurses Association after LakeWood illegally withdrew recognition of the union in the middle of bargaining a first contract.
… Read more about: Press Release: National Labor Relations Board hears charges against LakeWood Health Center at April 5-8 public hearing  »