Uncategorized (Page 8)

Right to Work

There was no action on Right to Work this week. Our friends in both parties and both legislative bodies have taken a stand on behalf of working families. To all of you who wrote, called and visited your elected officials, thank you. The outpouring of grassroots activism from nurses, union members and concerned citizens was like nothing we’ve seen in recent years, and deserves a lot of the credit for stopping this bill.

Health and Human Services Omnibus Bills

On Tuesday, HHS Chair David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) introduced the Senate HHS Omnibus bill, which includes the National Nurse Licensure language, aka Interstate Nurse Licensure Compact.
… Read more about: Legislative Update, March 30, 2012  »

MNA Nurses Day on the Hill

Nurses from every corner of the state came together on Monday and Tuesday to learn more about legislation at the Capitol that will affect nurses and patients, and to talk to their elected officials enacting policies based on nursing values. Nurses focused on:

• The unfair, unsafe and unnecessary “Right to Work” legislation that will weaken unions and hurt nurses and patients.
• Constitutional amendments that will write gridlock and budgeting gimmicks into Minnesota’s Constitution.
• Threats to nursing practice like the National Nurse Licensure Compact and a proposal to create a redundant and punitive criminal background check specifically for nurses.

… Read more about: Legislative Update March 2, 2012  »

MNA Legislative Update February 17, 2012

Right to Work
“Right to Work” constitutional amendments that would weaken unions and undermine workers’ rights have been introduced at the Capitol. These bills are unnecessary, unsafe and unfair. They will not create jobs and will not help our economy. They will make all of our families unsafe if professionals like nurses, firefighters and police officers have their voices silenced in the workplace. Minnesota has the third highest quality of life in the United States. We have a far lower rate of unemployment than the national average. States that already have Right to Work laws have lower qualities of life and higher unemployment than states with strong collective bargaining rights.
… Read more about: Legislative Update, Feb. 17, 2012  »

Found this video really funny (and true!) about all the amazing benefits Labor Unions have brought to the American workforce. Easy to forget all that Unions have done.
… Read more about: (Untitled)  »

A Great – and important! – point made here about how the media is framing the so-called “Right to Work” issue. Must read!
… Read more about: (Untitled)  »

MNA Legislative Update February 10, 2012

Right to Work
Senator Dave Thompson (R-36, Lakeville) and Representative Steve Drazkowski (R-28B, Mazeppa) introduced a so-called “Right to Work” constitutional amendment.  To read these bills and follow their progress, visit the bill status pages on the Legislature’s website: Senate File 1705, House File 2140.

This legislation, backed by employers, will weaken unions, cut pay and benefits, and worst of all, will take away nurses’ power to advocate for our patients’ safety and our practice. “Right to Work” doesn’t create any jobs, and workers in Right to Work states actually earn significantly less than workers in collective bargaining states.
… Read more about: Legislative Update February 10, 2012  »

MNA Legislative Update February 3, 2012

Right to Work Bill Introduced

Yesterday Senator Dave Thompson (R-36, Lakeville) announced he will introduce a so-called “Right to Work” constitutional amendment. This legislation, backed by employers, will weaken unions, cut pay and benefits, and worst of all, will take away nurses’ power to advocate for our patients’ safety and our practice. “Right to Work” doesn’t create any jobs, and workers in Right to Work states actually earn significantly less than workers in collective bargaining states. Learn more about this legislation at the MNA website. While Governor Dayton strongly opposes Right to Work, he does not have the right to veto a constitutional amendment if it passes both houses of the Legislature.
… Read more about: Legislative Update, Feb. 3, 2012  »

Legislation to define the Community Paramedic services that are eligible for Medical Assistance reimbursement was introduced in the Senate by Senator Rosen (R-24, Fairmont) as SF 1543 and by Representative Mack (R-37A, Apple Valley) in the House as HF 2060. Here is a link  to MNA’s letter in opposition to this bill.  mna position community paramedic

… Read more about: Medical Assistance Reimbursement and Community Paramedics  »

First Week of Session

The 2012 Legislative Session began this Tuesday, with commitments from legislative leaders that it will be a short session, with the goal of ending by April 2. The biggest issues of this session are likely to be constitutional amendments, a bonding bill, and a Vikings stadium.

Of most concern to MNA are constitutional amendments that will hurt working families. We are again dealing with a divided government, with the Senate and House in Republican control, and a Democratic governor. The legislative majorities, anticipating that Governor Dayton would veto a number of their more controversial priorities, have chosen a strategy that bypasses the Governor and asks the voters to write policy changes directly into the constitution.
… Read more about: Legislative Update, January 27, 2012  »