FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

First-of-its-kind public hearing is the result of a new law championed by MNA

(St. Paul) – November 18, 2021 – This evening, Minnesota Nurses Association members joined more than 60 participants in a virtual public hearing on Allina Health’s plan to close labor and delivery services at Regina Hospital in Hastings. This cost-cutting move by Allina will negatively impact patient care and the community, as people going into labor will now need to travel an additional 23 miles to St.
... Read more about: Nurses, community object to Allina consolidation plan which will negatively impact patient care, nurse staffing  »

Contact: Sam Fettig
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – November 17, 2021 – State officials today announced that two emergency medical teams from the United States Department of Defense will travel here to provide staffing support to Minnesota hospitals. The following is a statement from Mary C. Turner, RN, Minnesota Nurses Association President and a COVID ICU nurse.

“There is no shortage of Minnesota nurses who want to work at the bedside and care for patients.
... Read more about: Statement from Minnesota Nurses Association on Emergency Federal Medical Teams  »

Frazier recognized alongside MNA nurse members honored for their outstanding efforts 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

(St. Paul) – November 12, 2021 – Last evening, State Representative Cedrick Frazier was honored by nurse members of the Minnesota Nurses Association with MNA’s 2021 Public Official Award. Rep. Frazier was recognized at a virtual ceremony alongside six nurse members honored with awards for their outstanding service over the last year. 

In nominating Rep. Frazier for the award, one MNA nurse member wrote: “His passion and advocacy for workers – especially essential workers coming out of this pandemic – has only grown as we have worked together to pass our priority legislation…Rep.
... Read more about: Rep. Cedrick Frazier Honored with 2021 Public Official Award by Minnesota Nurses Association   »

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – November 10, 2021 – MNA President Mary C. Turner, RN, one of twelve members of the Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force, today praised the group’s final recommendations and report.

“As an ICU nurse on a Covid unit since the start of the pandemic, I am thrilled that the task force is calling for a permanent OSHA Covid-19 standard that includes protections against aerosol and airborne transmission for nurses and other workers,” said Turner, the only frontline worker and registered nurse appointed to the task force.
... Read more about: MNA President Turner Praises Final Recommendations of Biden-Harris COVID-19 Task Force  »

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Workers will continue push both inclusive recognition and additional steps to protect Minnesotans

(St. Paul) – October 27, 2021 – A coalition of workers vowed to fight on to the legislative session today after three Republican legislators blocked the allocation of $250 million set aside by the legislature to compensate workers exposed to COVID-19.

Three Republican members of the Frontline Worker Pay Group voted Wednesday to reject a compromise proposal introduced by Rep.
... Read more about: Essential Workers Condemn Republicans Obstruction of Frontline Worker Pay, Plans turn to Legislative Session after Republicans Reject Compromise on $250 million Fund  »

(St. Paul) – October 14, 2021 – Nurse members of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) at Allina’s WestHealth campus in Plymouth, Minn. will go on strike from Sunday, October 17 through Wednesday, October 20, 2021, as nurses seek a contract with Allina that provides fair pay and benefits to nurses on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sonya Worner, a Registered Nurse at WestHealth, said, “WestHealth nursing staff stayed the course during the COVID-19 pandemic.
... Read more about: MNA Nurses to Strike at Allina WestHealth for Fair Pay and Benefits  »

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Push comes as Republicans continue to demand the exclusion of hundreds of thousands of workers while continuing to threaten the firing of the Health Commissioner, holding up process of getting money out

(Saint Paul) – On Wednesday, October 6th, Essential workers who have kept our state running throughout COVID were joined Wednesday by members of the Frontline Worker Pay Worker Group at the Minnesota State Capitol to demand action on a final deal from the group that includes all essential workers as Republicans on the group continue to bring up divisive issues and hold up the process that is now one month past its deadline.
... Read more about: One Month Past Deadline, Workers and Frontline Worker Pay Working Group Members Push for Proposal That Doesn’t Leave Behind Any Essential Workers  »

(St. Paul) – September 30, 2021 – Essential workers responded to a plan released by the Republican members of the Frontline Worker Pay Work Group with disappointment and encouraged lawmakers to work together to find a solution that does not exclude essential workers from the frontline worker pay fund created by Governor Walz and the legislature.

“My parents work in the food service industry, and unfortunately, they got COVID.
... Read more about: Essential Workers Demand Fair, Fast Action from Frontline Pay Group  »

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – September 29, 2021 – This Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 1 p.m. CST, MNA President Mary C. Turner, RN, and the Biden-Harris COVID-19 Health Equity Task Force will meet to prioritize and advance final recommendations to inform federal COVID-19 response and to address the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on some of our most vulnerable communities, including inequities by race, ethnicity, geography, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and other factors.

This will be the seventh meeting of the national task force since it was formed in February.
... Read more about: MNA President Turner, Biden-Harris COVID-19 Task Force to Meet on Federal Pandemic Response  »

Contact: Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Shannon Cunningham
(o) 651-414-2838
(c) 651-269-1418
shannon.cunningham@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – September 9, 2021 – Recently, the MNA Board of Directors surveyed MNA members asking their positions on impending mandatory vaccination programs being put forth by Minnesota hospitals. After reviewing the results of the survey and the wide variety of member positions on these issues, the MNA BOD does not believe members are unified around any one position either for or against the mandatory vaccination programs. As a result of that, the MNA Board is releasing the following statement:

The Minnesota Nurses Association believes that voluntary vaccination programs along with other essential infection control measures such as optimal personal protective equipment, contact tracing, rapid testing and results, adequate staffing, hygiene, environmental controls, isolation policies, and paid COVID leave for healthcare workers who need to quarantine are the most effective strategy for a healthy population and that all those who can be vaccinated should be.
... Read more about: MNA Board of Directors’ Statement on Member Vaccine Mandate Survey  »