June 24 Duluth Bargaining Update - SMDC (Page 122)

Today was our fourth negotiation session with management of SMDC. After meeting for over a month, they finally responded to some of our proposals. In response to our proposal which gives nurses the ability to temporarily close a unit to admissions due to unsafe staffing situations the answer was loud and clear NO.

Jerry Zanko director of employee and labor relations at SMDC said “I have no interest in agreeing to language that isn’t worth the paper it is written on!”  Zanko’s response to whether or not they would have a counter proposal next week was ‘perhaps’.

Management proposed language that would have taken four long time nurses out of the contract. They withdrew that proposal today yet said they reserve the right to move nurses as they want. This is clear they will try if we let them to move contract nurses into the non union areas.

Their response to our proposal allowing non contract RN’s the ability to organize into MNA with us in a neutral environment  was NO!

Steve Strand RN MICU Assistant Head Nurse, MNA Chair SMDC: “After a long discussion and meeting with management for over a month they referred to talking about staffing issues as wearisome. This is worrisome for us as nurses and our patients. The fact that we have talked about it for years and they are wearisome proves staffing is an unresolved issue. Nurses have to stand together to resolve staffing with our contract this time!”

Overall today their answer was NO!

We need move forward with our action for safe staffing and the strongest possible contract. Nurses need to show up in the cafeterias of Miller Dwan and St. Mary’s this week to vote on our next steps.

On June 29th

Voting is from 0630-0800 and 11-130 in the Miller Dwan cafeteria and 430-630 in the St. Mary’s cafeteria.

On July 1st

Voting is from 630-8 am and 11-130 in the St. Mary’s cafeteria and 430-630 in the Miller Dwan cafeteria.

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In: Duluth Bargaining

Today was our fourth negotiation session with management of SMDC. After meeting for over a month, they finally responded to some of our proposals. In response to our proposal which gives nurses the ability to temporarily close a unit to admissions due to unsafe staffing situations the answer was loud and clear NO.

Jerry Zanko director of employee and labor relations at SMDC said “I have no interest in agreeing to language that isn’t worth the paper it is written on!”  Zanko’s response to whether or not they would have a counter proposal next week was ‘perhaps’.

Management proposed language that would have taken four long time nurses out of the contract.
… Read more about: June 24 Duluth Bargaining Update – SMDC  »

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In: Bargaining, Nurses Strike

JUNE 24, 2010 STATEMENT FROM THE MINNESOTA NURSES ASSOCIATION:
Our nurses spent more than 13 hours today doing our best to stay hopeful about negotiations. Unfortunately, zero progress was made. Despite today’s setback, our nurses offered to return to the bargaining table again on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and every other day until a contract agreement can be reached. Instead, the Twin Cities Hospitals responded that the earliest they could meet would be sometime next week.

It has become beyond obvious to our nurses that the Twin Cities Hospitals, despite what they continue to say publicly, have no interest in meaningful or good faith negotiations.
… Read more about: June 24, 2010 MNA Statement on Negotiations  »

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In: Bargaining, Nurses, Nurses Strike, Nursing

To Whom It May Concern:

I’m an acute care registered nurse at a St. Paul hospital and am
concerned (as are the majority of nurses) about the way nurses are being
portrayed in their quest for safe staffing. However, I also realize the
majority of the population doesn’t know exactly what a nurse does when
he/she is outside the patient room. The public hears us talk about needing
more time at the bedside, but doesn’t understand why they see nurses at
the desk so often. With this understanding, I set out to give a detailed
account of what nurses’ duties are outside the patient room.
… Read more about: 510 minutes: A MNA RN Explains a typical shift  »

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In: Duluth Bargaining

From the St. Luke’s bargaining committee: In our fifth bargaining session with management of St. Luke’s hospital, we had a detailed discussion about the implementation of our nurse-to-patient ratios which research has proven to is better for patient outcomes. Management asked clarifying questions and listened to our explanations. Nothing has come back from management across the table regarding safe patient care.  We expect to make major progress in our next meeting and we continue to take steps towards this, yet are prepared to show how serious we are in our commitment for safe patient care.

From Kate Donovan RN 7W: “Today was our fifth bargaining session.
… Read more about: Duluth Bargaining Update (June 22)  »

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In: Bargaining, Nurses Strike

Updated press release on June 21 strike vote with detailed voting statistics: https://mnnurses.org/june-21-strike-vote-results

MNA Statement on both sides agreeing to meet with a Federal Mediator on Thursday:
“Our nurses look forward to returning to the bargaining table Thursday and are hopeful we can engage in meaningful negotiations with the Twin Cities Hospitals. As we stated prior to this week’s strike vote, we have given our unilateral commitment that we will not give a strike notice as long as productive negotiations are continuing.”
… Read more about: MNA Updated Press Release and Statement (June 22)  »