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. Learn more at www.mnnurses.org/rtw.
Action: After overwhelming turnout at the last briefings, the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation is holding several more Right to Work briefings all over the metro area for any interested union members:
- Saturday, February 18, 10:00 AM
CWA 7200 Hall, 3521 East Lake Street, Minneapolis
- Thursday, February 23, 6:30 PM
Spring Lake Park VFW, 8100 Northeast Pleasant View Drive, Spring Lake Park
- Thursday, March 1, 5:30 PM
Discovery Center, Board Room, Door #2
301 2nd Ave NE, Buffalo - Saturday, March 3, 10 AM
Mound Depot
Mound Bay Park, 5801 Bartlett Blvd, Mound - Thursday, March 8, 6:30 PM
Golden Valley VFW
7775 Medicine Lake Road, Golden Valley - Saturday, March 10, 10:00 AM
Boilermakers Local 647
9459 NW Hwy. 10, Suite 105, Ramsey - Thursday, March 15, 6:30 PM
Anoka Hennepin Education Minnesota
3200 Main St, Suite 360 (Wells Fargo Bank Building), Coon Rapids - Tuesday, March 20, 6:30 PM
Chaska American Legion
102 West Fourth Street, Chaska - Tuesday, March 27, 6:30 PM
Minnetonka High School
18301 Hwy. 7, West Entrance, Minnetonka
HMO Transparency Hearing
This week the two House Health and Human Services Committees met jointly for a hearing to gather information about the state’s payment of nearly $4 billion to Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) for their management of Minnesota’s public health care programs. One bill addressing the lack of oversight of the program has been introduced, and more may be coming.
MNA has been following this issue for a year, because we are concerned that when the state privatized our public health programs back in the 1990s, we lost the ability to oversee the program funded by taxpayer dollars. There is so little oversight of the HMOs now that there is a federal investigation into Minnesota’s HMO payments.
Pioneer Press article: Feds Investigate state over Medical Assistance program
Star Tribune editorial: Is state overpaying health plans? Federal investigation adds urgency to HMO transparency push.
Felony Criminal Neglect of a Vulnerable Adult
MNA worked closely in the past weeks with Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, Health and Human Services Reform Chair Steve Gottwalt, other health care unions, and long term care facilities to come to a compromise over strengthening the punishment for those guilty of criminally neglecting a vulnerable adult. The compromise was an effort between all parties to protect the rights of workers in cases of understaffing, while giving the county attorney the right to charge someone who intends to neglect a vulnerable adult with a felony as opposed to a gross misdemeanor. Minnesota is the first state to make this crime a felony while protecting the rights of the workers.
MNA Nurses Day on the Hill
Nurses will be bringing patient advocacy from the bedside to the Capitol on Tuesday, February 28. We’ll brief you on the issues and make appointments for you to meet your legislators with other nurses from your area.
- Monday, February 27, 2012 – Member Education Program, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Hotel, St. Paul - Tuesday, February 28, 2012 – Capitol Visits start at 8:00 a.m., Action at 12:30 p.m.
State Capitol and State Office Building, St. Paul
So much of patient safety and nursing practice policy is decided at the state capitol. If we don’t advocate for our patients and our profession, no one else will. You can find more information and sign up here.