Duluth - St. Luke's Bargaining Update (July 13) (Page 119)

Today we had our sixth bargaining session with management of St. Luke’s hospital.

“The St. Luke’s bargaining committee refined the staffing plan in order for the contract to be settled. We have solidified the direction we need to go. Management’s response fell short of our safe staffing needs, because it did not allow for RN’s to say ‘No’ to an unsafe assignment.” – Mary Koski “Meech” RN

Cindy Prout, RN, states, “Yesterday we had a great, successful picket at SMDC as Duluth Nurses United. Our favorite chant of the day was ‘1, 2, 3, 4, We don’t like your grid no more! 5, 6, 7, 8, Safe staffing will be great!’ Nurses: Start practicing!”

All Nurse meetings on July 14 at the Labor Temple 2002 London Road (below the Reef Bar): 0800, 1330, 1600, 2000.

The next contract action team meeting is July 22nd, also at the Labor Temple from 1300-1430 and 1600-1730.

We will be having many actions coming to achieve our contract goals – look for flyers, sign-up sheets and blog posts for what our next steps are.

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Today we had our sixth bargaining session with management of St. Luke’s hospital.

“The St. Luke’s bargaining committee refined the staffing plan in order for the contract to be settled. We have solidified the direction we need to go. Management’s response fell short of our safe staffing needs, because it did not allow for RN’s to say ‘No’ to an unsafe assignment.” – Mary Koski “Meech” RN

Cindy Prout, RN, states, “Yesterday we had a great, successful picket at SMDC as Duluth Nurses United. Our favorite chant of the day was ‘1, 2, 3, 4, We don’t like your grid no more!
… Read more about: Duluth – St. Luke’s Bargaining Update (July 13)  »

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A Special THANK YOU to the elected officials, patients, general public and brother and sister union members who showed up July 12th to support Duluth Nurses on the picket line!

ELECTED OFFICIALS
Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher
Duluth Mayor Don Ness
Duluth City Council Member Patrick Boyle
Duluth City Council Member Sharla Gardner
Duluth City Council Member Kerry Gauthier
Representative Mary Murphy
Office of Senator Al Franken
Office of Congressman Jim Oberstar

UNIONS
AFSCME
APWU
Carpenters
Duluth Central Labor Body
IBEW
IUPAT
IUOE
Massachusetts Nurses Association
MN AFL-CIO
NALC Branch 114
NE Area Labor Council
Workers United
USW
… Read more about: Thank you!  »

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In: Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses

A New York Times writer is doing a Sunday business feature on Hospitals using the Toyota “Lean” model and stumbled across the MNA-created YouTube video below. So now MN Nurses are going to have a national voice in the story speaking out about unsafe staffing and hospitals putting profits ahead of patients. Like we said, our fight for safe staffing is just beginning!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbPOO1hNX10]
… Read more about: Toyota Lean, Hospitals, The New York Times, MNA and YouTube  »

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: John Nemo, MNA, 651-414-2863 or e-mail

DULUTH, Minn. (July 6, 2010) – More than 1,300 Duluth Nurses will conduct informational picketing from 12:00-5:00 p.m. on July 12th outside SMDC Medical Center to call attention to unsafe staffing levels.

“Here at St. Mary’s and Miller Dwan (SMDC), we currently have more than 800 open nursing shifts over a four-week period from mid-June to mid-July,” said Steve Strand, RN. “The hospital is literally begging nurses to work double shifts and overtime to try and fill all these gaps.
… Read more about: Duluth Nurses to Conduct Info Picketing July 12  »

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: John Nemo, MNA, 651-414-2863 or e-mail

MNA Nurses Ratify Contract Agreement with Twin Cities Hospitals

ST. PAUL (July 6, 2010) – Demonstrating the incredible solidarity that was the hallmark of their lengthy campaign, Twin Cities nurses voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to ratify a new contract with 14 area hospitals.

“It’s been a long three-plus months, but the nurses I’m talking to tonight have a healthy mixture of relief and resolve,” said Cindy Olson, an RN at St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood and a member of the Minnesota Nurses Association bargaining team. “Relief that we finally have a contract in front of us that we could ratify, and resolve to make sure we finish the job when it comes to attaining the safe staffing levels our patients and our profession deserve.”

Nurses spent the day voting at two different locations – one in Minneapolis and one in St.
… Read more about: It’s Official: Twin Cities RNs Ratify Contract  »