Park Nicollet Methodist Update (May 13) (Page 136)

We started negotiations this week like we did every other week – ready to talk about staffing.  And, like every other week, management refused to negotiate about our most important issue.  We expressed concern that management had a goal for falls in 2009 of 218 (there were actually 249 falls that year).  We know that it is nearly impossible to prevent every fall.  But, as the spouse of one of our team members, who has been a safety manager for 36 years said, “the ultimate goal should be zero, especially for never events.  If there are more than zero falls, you should be working diligently to work out why and to make it zero.”

Our staffing ratios are important because we will be able to provide better care and help prevent adverse events like falls.  Management’s response to our concerns?  “Falls have nothing to do with staffing levels.”  When we said that our current contract language about staffing was not sufficient, management said “we couldn’t disagree with you more.” We gave management a modified staffing proposal that really goes to our core issues and is easier for management to understand.  We answered all of their questions on this new proposal.  Mary asked the nurse managers how they budget for staffing on their units.  She also asked them how they feel when they leave the hospital and know that their units are short-staffed.  Management’s response?  Staffing is just fine.

We also dropped our proposals on expedited arbitration, union leave, and promotions and transfer.  We also lowered our wage proposal.  Management came back with the same set of proposals that they gave us last week.  We cannot accept management’s proposals. They move our profession backwards and do nothing to address the concerns of staff nurses.  If we stand united, we can win a good contract that moves our profession and patient care forward.
REMINDER!  All RN meetings Monday May 17.  7:45 am, 1:30 pm, 3:45 pm, and 6pm.  In the Methodist Auditorium.

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We started negotiations this week like we did every other week – ready to talk about staffing.  And, like every other week, management refused to negotiate about our most important issue.  We expressed concern that management had a goal for falls in 2009 of 218 (there were actually 249 falls that year).  We know that it is nearly impossible to prevent every fall.  But, as the spouse of one of our team members, who has been a safety manager for 36 years said, “the ultimate goal should be zero, especially for never events.  If there are more than zero falls, you should be working diligently to work out why and to make it zero.”

Our staffing ratios are important because we will be able to provide better care and help prevent adverse events like falls.  
… Read more about: Park Nicollet Methodist Update (May 13)  »

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From the MNA Children’s Bargaining Team:

Today thirty-five years of negotiations history came down to twelve minutes with the employer.  Today many of our Nurses came to tell their stories and show their support for our Care managers and our staffing proposal.  The employer finally arrived at 11:40 after all the nurses had left (perhaps management was aware of their presence and delayed their arrival to avoid the nurses?)  The employer’s last concessionary (take-back) offer, which is unchanged from last week, is what they want us to vote on.

The employer has been unwilling to engage in any meaningful dialogue about any of the proposals that we have brought to the table. 
… Read more about: Children’s Bargaining Update (May 13)  »

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Today was the last scheduled negotiation.

We presented a revised staffing proposal, easier for management to understand. The hospital rejected the proposal as costing too much.

We proposed a modified wage package.  The hospital rejected this proposal.

After the hospital’s caucus, they explained their staffing process and felt that it was sufficient.

After lunch, the Hospital gave MNA their final proposal. When asked if this was their final proposal, the hospital stated “This is our final offer today”.

We asked further, “Is this the proposal you want us to present to the nurse group to vote on 5/19/10?
… Read more about: Fairview Bargaining Update May 13  »

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Update from Eir Borgensen, RN, Member of HealthEast Bargaining Team:

Fellow nurses,

Today was the last scheduled bargaining session. We started out the day sharing factual stories from the last week of unsafe staffing at HealthEast. The employer sat in silence as we presented these stories from our fellow RNs.

We decided to make some moves to help direct management towards settlement. We modified our staffing proposal to help simplify for management how they can help improve safe staffing.  We dropped three of our proposals unconditionally and modified our health insurance proposal down from 100% employer paid to 95% employer paid.
… Read more about: HealthEast Bargaining Update  »

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From Lori Nelson, RN, and Jim Danielson, RN, members of MNA’s Allina Bargaining Team

Bargaining Concludes

Today, our morning was spent entirely on Letters of Understanding.  There was some meaningful discussion where RNs on our team appealed to management to continue to value nurses voices and to continue to work collaboratively on staffing issues with nurses.  Sadly, we did not discuss the substantial differences that still exist between management’s proposals of concessions and our proposals that would build on the years of hard work in bargaining and advance our profession.  Management again spent hours in caucus without moving the process forward.
… Read more about: Allina Bargaining Update (May 12)  »

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We started Nurses’ Week on May 6 in a tremendous fashion.  Thousand of nurses came out to an historic informational picket to send a clear message to management that RNs are willing to do what it takes to stand up for patients.

Join us for a second day of informational picketing today (May 12th) between 1:30-5 at Fairview Southdale or United/St. Paul Children’s.

On May 11, we came ready to negotiate.  We started off the day by dropping our proposals on union leave, promotions and transfers, and expedited arbitration.  We also emphasized our need to negotiate on staffing.  Management asked us questions about our staffing proposal – the exact same questions that they had asked a couple of weeks ago.  
… Read more about: North Memorial Bargaining Update (May 11)  »