So proud of the MNA Nurses at Fairview Southdale and how they recently stood up for their patients and their profession regarding staffing grids!
Here’s what happened:
Management wanted to reduce staffing levels and cut FTEs during the grid reviews this summer. The nurses didn’t agree and the hospital requested that there be mediation as provided for in the contract. There are 6 units involved. The first three units had mediation on 11/30 and there were 30 staff nurses who attended and told their stories and objected to any decrease in staffing.
Last Friday, the other three units had mediation. Stewards from two of the units really stepped up to the challenge and turned nurses out! There were about three dozen nurses who attended (including the tri-chairs). One of the units had 25% of the nurses in attendance and another had 30%!
The nurses were outstanding and spent two hours in each of the first two sessions and just over an hour in the third telling management that there are systems issues that need fixing, that they are needing to do more and more as other departments get cut, that they are no longer able to say they are proud of the care they are able to give, etc. One RN was especially powerful in asking, “Can you tell me specifically what I can do to take more patients? Can you tell me what I do that I can stop doing? How can I be more efficient?”
The VP for nursing had no answer. She repeated a couple of times that she knows the nurses all work hard and that they aren’t sitting around reading magazines and knitting. The nurses pushed back over and over and management looked pretty weary at the end of the day. The nurses said they did not object to taking on more or caring for more patients – if management could provide a list of what they could stop doing so they could free up time. MNA nurses repeated over and over that they are the safety net, and that when management cuts other departments, the work doesn’t go away – rather the nurses pick up even more.
As one of the MNA Chairs said at the end of the day: “To a person, your stories were powerful and eloquently told, and your passion for your profession and commitment to your patients was impressive to everyone in the room … Enjoy the weekend knowing that you couldn’t have done any more than you all did incredibly well to influence management. Our nurses are an amazing group of people, and you should all be proud of the extraordinary care you give every day.”
Couldn’t say it better ourselves! Way to go Fairview Southdale Nurses! We’re proud of you and thankful for your leadership and solidarity!
The nurses were outstanding and spent two hours in each of the first two sessions and just over an hour in the third telling management that there are systems issues that need fixing, that they are needing to do more and more as other departments get cut, that they are no longer able to say they are proud of the care they are able to give, etc.
The American Crystal Sugar workers have been locked out since August. In solidarity, the MNA Board of Directors is encouraging all members to boycott American Crystal Sugar products until a settlement is reached. This includes many local store brands because they get the sugar they use from American Crystal Sugar. It is recommended to use C and H or Domino Sugar instead. Thanks for your support! Keep up to date on Sugar Workers’ news, and learn how you can help.
… Read more about: Support Sugar Workers »
MNA President Linda Hamilton was honored this week, winning the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation’s 2011 Labor Leader Award. The award is “in appreciation of tireless efforts and experienced leadership that has greatly benefitted the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation.” It is the first year the award has been given out.
“Everyone in this room knows the success the nurses have had in raising the public’s awareness of the need to address unsafe staffing levels in our hospitals,” said SPRLF President Bobby Kasper. “The MNA made safe staffing a focus of their contract campaign two years ago, and they continue to fight for their members at the Capitol, where everybody knows the MNA means business!
… Read more about: MNA President Linda Hamilton Wins “2011 Labor Leader Award” »
MNA RN Nellie Munn Advocates for Unemployment Insurance Extension.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: John Nemo, 651-414-2863 or john.nemo@mnnurses.org
ST. PAUL (December 1, 2011) – Responding to today’s state budget forecast, the Minnesota Nurses Association issued the following statement:
“Plenty of GOP leaders are putting a positive spin on today’s news of a budget surplus. However, we’d like to point out a few of the items you aren’t likely to hear them talking about:
VP Engeldorf talks of the horribile health consequences of economic injustice
At home, Nurses are ROCKING OccupyMN. Read the WorkdayMinnesota report and watch
… Read more about: Nurses Rock OccupyMN » MNA 1st Vice President Bunny Engeldorf address the crowd on Sat., Oct. 29
VRMC RNs voted overwhelmingly today to support the City of Virginia’s proposed charter change that would alter the terms of what is considered a sale of the city-owned hospital.
National Nurses United’s Midwest Director and RN Jan Rodolfo appeared on Keith Olbermann’s show last night to talk about the Occupy Chicago arrests.
Learn more about the Main Street Contract and the effort to Tax Wall Street that is being led by National Nurses United.
In case you missed it LIVE last week online, here’s video of hundreds of MNA RNs on the streets of downtown St. Paul demanding a Tax on Wall Street. The public reaction/support was amazing!
[youtube=http://youtu.be/xNaYeuENNwo]
… Read more about: MNA RNs take to the streets of St. Paul and demand “Tax Wall Street!” »