Media Advisory: Mankato Nurses to Hold Informational Picket Around Mayo Hospital

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
(Mankato) – December 4, 2019 – Mankato members of the Minnesota Nurses Association will hold an informational picket around the Mayo Mankato hospital on December 5, 2019 to take their contract issues straight to their employers. Nurses are demanding hospital management come to the bargaining table with the entire negotiating team of nurses to discuss a new contract. Mayo, at this point, has refused to bargain with all the nurses.

Nurses and Mayo Clinic Health Services, which runs the Mankato hospital, have been bargaining since September over a new contract, but nurses have felt their voices have not been heard on critical issues, including: workplace safety, staffing, wages, and benefits. MNA filed a 10-day notice of intent to picket Mayo on November 25, as required by law.

MNA has filed Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges with the National Labor Relations Board over Mayo’s actions. Mayo has, in turn, filed a ULP against MNA.

An informational picket is not a work stoppage. Nurses will be picketing only during their off-hours. Patient care will continue.

A link to the Facebook event can be found here or at https://www.facebook.com/events/430246397655183/

Raw video will be made available to the media here or at https://www.youtube.com/user/mnnurses

When:    December 5, 12-4:30 p.m.
Speakers’ program begins at 1 p.m.
Where:  Staging area at Emerson Park in Mankato, MN
Who:      Mary C. Turner, RN, MNA president
Rose Roach, MNA Executive Director
Kris Stenzel, RN, Mankato nurse and negotiating team member
Nicole Samples, RN, Mankato nurse and negotiating team member
What:      Informational picket on public areas around Mayo Mankato hospital
Why:        To inform hospital management of nurses’ proposals in a new contract
How:        Picket signs will go up at noon

###