LABOR
The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra has canceled concerts through the end of the year. Management locked out musicians Oct. 21, and the union on Wednesday unanimously rejected the current contract proposal.
From In These Times: Mitt Romney’s 9-Point Plan to Kill Unions.
In California: Hundreds of registered nurses walked off the job Thursday morning at seven East Bay hospitals affiliated with Sutter Health in a longstanding dispute over wages, benefits and service cutbacks.
HEALTH CARE
Representatives from the Massachusetts Nurses Association/National Nurses United held a press conference at the State House Thursday to brief reporters on a new law to ban the dangerous practice of mandatory overtime as an alternative to providing safe registered nurse staffing levels in the state’s acute care hospitals. The new law goes into effect on Monday, Nov. 5.
Oh, Canada: With patient satisfaction influenced more by hospital staff than by fancy lobbies or high-tech equipment, attracting and keeping a great workforce is a vital part of any hospital’s success. Hospitals looking to recruit and retain top talent should take note of Windsor Regional Hospital for inspiration. The Ontario, Canada-based hospital now offers its employees unlimited vacation.