May 26, 2010 Statement from the Minnesota Nurses Association
Today the Minnesota Nurses Association received formal requests from each of the six Twin Cities hospital systems to return to the bargaining table. MNA staff is working with our bargaining teams to schedule negotiation dates and times, along with the process of involving a federal mediator to attend the negotiations at the request of the hospitals.
We still believe there is time to reach an agreement with the Twin Cities hospitals before nurses conduct a one-day, unfair labor practice strike for patient safety. While the hospitals have stated their willingness to extend the current labor contract (which is set to expire on May 31) through June 30, 2010, we do not feel this measure is necessary in order to reach an agreement between the hospital systems and our nurses, nor do we believe it would improve the chances of a settlement.
Both sides have been bargaining on these contracts since March 2010, and it is our belief that an agreement can be reached in a timely fashion assuming the Twin Cities Hospitals are indeed ready to return to the table and bargain in good faith.
As they have since these talks began, our nurses are ready to work with the Twin Cities Hospitals to reach an agreement that ensures our patients are as safe as possible while also providing fair working conditions, compensation and benefits to the nurses who care for them on a daily basis.