2010 HealthEast Bargaining Update (Page 107)

Today marked the opening day of negotiations between HealthEast and its nurses. Here you’ll find:

Make sure to check back here on the MNA Blog and on MNA’s Web site for the latest news and updates!

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AUDIO: Thissen vs. Emmer

This is one audio clip (see link above) not to miss! MNA-endorsed Gov. Candidate Paul Thissen took fellow candidate Tom Emmer to the proverbial woodshed the other day on Minnesota Public Radio. Thissen called Emmer out for using popular political buzzwords and rhetoric without explaining how any of those ideas would actually get accomplished. Now you can see why more than 20,000 Minnesota Nurses endorse Paul Thissen for Governor!
… Read more about: Paul Thissen torches Tom Emmer on MPR  »

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Politics

Media Contact: Liz Doyle (612-483-5854) or lizd@takeactionminnesota.org

Statement of the Save GAMC Coalition on House override vote

Members of the Minnesota House today had the opportunity to hold to their vote in support of the men and women on General Assistance Medical Care and override the Governor’s Veto. Thirty eight  Republican House members who voted in support of this legislation last week have now changed their minds and voted against health coverage for the poorest Minnesotans. The Administration is already beginning to un-enroll people on GAMC and transition them into MinnesotaCare, a program that is more costly than the DFL plan and simply will not work for those currently on GAMC.
… Read more about: Press Release: Save GAMC Coalition Statement on today’s House override attempt  »

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MNA Member RN Barb Warren-Bloms (located on the far right and wearing a black shirt in the photo above) just returned from Haiti today, and she’s already got more than 200 photos up on her Facebook page. Barb’s journey to Haiti has already been well-chronicled, and in the coming days we’ll make sure to share some of her most powerful stories and photos as well. Barb is the first MNA nurse to be formally deployed to Haiti through the National Nurses United organization’s relief efforts. Barb spent two weeks on the floating Navy hospital ship USNS Comfort, and she’ll be headed back to work here at her hospital in Minneapolis on Monday.
… Read more about: First MNA Nurse Returns From Haiti with stories, photos  »

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Pine Technical College wins $4.2 million to train healthcare workers

PINE CITY, Minn. – Pine Technical College is poised to set into motion a $4.2 million grant project recently awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The project, called Health Occupations Providing Economic Stimulus or HOPES, will recruit, train and employ almost 1,200 registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, certified nursing assistants, home health aides and medical laboratory technologists in east central Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

The fundamental work of HOPES is expanding the capacity for allied health education in nursing and medical laboratory technology programs, according to PTC President Robert Musgrove.
… Read more about: Press Release: MN Tech College supported by MNA wins $4.2 million to train healthcare workers  »

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Barb Warren-Bloms, the first Minnesota Nurse formally deployed to Haiti, recently sent us a Facebook message with an update of her first days on the Navy ship USNS Comfort (above):

“Thanks. It is going ok on the ship. I am working night shift. The census is way down, and acuity is very low. It is winding down. There are only 50 patients here now.

Even though the census is very low, they are happy we are here, because the nurses have not had days off in over 30 days. We got here too late to be of much help other than letting the nurses get days off, which is important, I guess.
… Read more about: Update from the USNS Comfort in Haiti  »

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EKyoiLMdwE]

MNA Member RN Barb Warren-Bloms spent her Valentine’s Day doing media interviews like the one above at MSP International Airport, then boarded a plane to Jacksonville, FL, to join other RNs from around the country who were deployed to Haiti earlier this week. Barb is the first MN Nurse formally deployed to Haiti through the National Nurses United organization, which is the national union MNA is working with to help safely deploy RNs to help in the Haiti relief efforts.
… Read more about: Happy Valentine’s Day – I’m Headed to Haiti!  »