Nurses endorse candidates who will put Patients Before Profits in statewide executive races (Page 20)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Sam Fettig
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Nielsen
(o) 651-414-2862
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Nurses today endorsed Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan, Attorney General Ellison, Auditor Blaha, and Secretary of State Simon for reelection 

(St. Paul) – July 21, 2022 – Nurses of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) today announced their endorsements of candidates for statewide executive offices who will stand with nurses to put Patients Before Profits in Minnesota, endorsing Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, Attorney General Keith Ellison, State Auditor Julie Blaha, and Secretary of State Steve Simon for reelection.

MNA endorsements in these statewide races follow screening sessions where nurses pressed the candidates for their commitment to key issues for nurses and patients, including standing with nurses in their current contract negotiations; supporting the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act to address short-staffing and retention; opposing the Outsourcing Care Compact; and joining nurses to hold hospital CEOs accountable in the fight against corporate healthcare in Minnesota.

“Our healthcare system is in critical condition, as patients are overcharged, nurses are overworked, and hospitals are understaffed while executives make millions,” said Mary C. Turner, RN, President of MNA. “Nurses are proud to back candidates who have pledged to stand with nurses to put patients before profits in our hospitals, and urge all Minnesotans to join us in returning these healthcare champions to office.”

Following screening sessions with the candidates, recommendations for endorsement were approved by the MNA Political Committee and Board of Directors, both comprised of elected nurse members. MNA nurses will encourage fellow nurses and the public to elect endorsed candidates through phone- and text-banking, door-knocking, digital advertisements and more.

Following is additional information on each of the statewide candidates endorsed by nurses today. Additional information on the MNA endorsement process and on endorsed candidates can be found at nursescarenursesvote.com.

Nurses Endorse Tim Walz for Governor and Peggy Flanagan for Lt. Governor

Minnesota nurses today endorsed Governor Tim Walz and Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan for reelection, citing their strong support for nurses’ collective efforts to solve the problems in our hospitals and to put Patients Before Profits in Minnesota.

In screening sessions with Walz and Flanagan, the candidates pledged to stand behind nurses in their current contract negotiations as they seek solutions to the short-staffing and retention crisis in our hospitals that hospital CEOs have created. Current contract negotiations for 15,000 nurses in the Twin Cities and Twin Ports are the first since the COVID-19 pandemic began and come at a critical moment, as over half of nurses in a recent study reported they were considering leaving the bedside in the coming year. Walz expressed to nurses his understanding that these negotiations represent a “make or break moment” for the nursing profession in Minnesota.

Walz and Flanagan also pledged continued support for the Keeping Nurses at the Bedside Act, legislation introduced in the Minnesota Legislature last session to create committees of nurses and management on a local, hospital-by-hospital basis to establish and review safe nurse-to-patient staffing levels. The conditions that CEOs have created in Minnesota hospitals have resulted in nurses being overworked and driven away from the bedside and hurting patient care

Nurses also appreciated Walz and Flanagan’s continued commitment to the right of workers to collectively bargain. Walz reiterated a firm opposition to so-called “right-to-work” laws and to the Outsourcing Care Compact, which would threaten the current relationship of high-quality care between Minnesota patients and nurses.

Walz and Flanagan expressed concern with corporate practices and a focus on the bottom line in Minnesota’s healthcare system and reiterated their commitment to expanding access to healthcare in Minnesota, especially for historically marginalized communities.

Nurses Endorse Keith Ellison for Attorney General

Minnesota nurses today endorsed Attorney General Keith Ellison for reelection, citing his continued opposition to the growing corporate power of the healthcare industry, and his pledge to stand with nurses to put Patients Before Profits in Minnesota hospitals.

In a screening meeting with nurses, Ellison cited his efforts to press hospitals to provide adequate PPE for workers in the early days of the pandemic and stated his strong support for the power of nurses bargaining collectively to solve the problems in our hospitals, including the short-staffing and retention crisis that hospital CEOs have created. Current contract negotiations for 15,000 nurses in the Twin Cities and Twin Ports are the first since the COVID-19 pandemic began and come at a critical moment, as over half of nurses in a recent study reported they were considering leaving the bedside in the coming year.

Ellison also expressed deep concern with mergers and other corporate practices which consolidate the power of hospital CEOs and distort priorities in our healthcare system. Ellison cited his opposition to a UnitedHealthcare merger and pledged to work with nurses to ensure Minnesota hospitals live up to their community responsibilities, to hold executives accountable to put Patients Before Profits in Minnesota.

Ellison expressed deep concern with the way rising healthcare costs and stagnant wages are affecting nurses and patients alike in Minnesota and reiterated his commitment to helping all Minnesotans afford their lives and to live with dignity and respect.

Nurses Endorse Julie Blaha for State Auditor

Minnesota nurses today endorsed Auditor Julie Blaha for reelection, citing her strong support for nurses’ and all workers’ collective bargaining rights, concern with the growing power of corporate healthcare, and support for nurses’ efforts to put Patients Before Profits in Minnesota.

Blaha has long been a strong supporter of workers’ collective bargaining rights and pledged to stand with nurses in their current contract negotiations as they seek solutions to the short-staffing and retention crisis in our hospitals that hospital CEOs have created. Current contract negotiations for 15,000 nurses in the Twin Cities and Twin Ports are the first since the COVID-19 pandemic began and come at a critical moment, as over half of nurses in a recent study reported they were considering leaving the bedside in the coming year.

In her role as State Auditor, Blaha also promised to continue to listen to nurse stories about their concerns with corporate healthcare practices in Minnesota hospitals and committed to digging deeper into healthcare financing, including the flow of state and federal funding to hospitals which falls under the purview of her office.

Nurses Endorse Steve Simon for Secretary of State

Minnesota nurses today endorsed Secretary of State Steve Simon for reelection, citing his support for nurses in their efforts to collectively bargain for solutions to the problems in our hospitals and his strong commitment to free and fair elections which provide nurses, patients, and all Minnesotans an opportunity to express their voice in the democratic process.

Simon expressed his support for nurses who are currently in negotiations for new contracts, seeking solutions to problems including the short-staffing and retention crisis in our hospitals that hospital CEOs have created. Current contract negotiations for 15,000 nurses in the Twin Cities and Twin Ports are the first since the COVID-19 pandemic began and come at a critical moment, as over half of nurses in a recent study reported they were considering leaving the bedside in the coming year.

Simon expressed his commitment to continuing to listen to and stand alongside nurses in their fight to put Patients Before Profits in Minnesota’s healthcare system.

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