MNA Nurses to Picket Virginia Hospital Over Contract (Page 29)

Media Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

July 27, 2020 (St. Paul) – Virginia nurses working for Essentia have filed the required ten-day notice of intent to hold an informational picket August 3 to alert patients they continue to work without a contract that respects their work. Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association have been without a contract since August 1, 2019. They have engaged in good faith bargaining with negotiators of the Virginia hospital, but management continues to stall and demand concessions from workers.

“We are committed to giving our patients quality care,” said Jodi Hensley, a Registered Nurse at the Virginia hospital. “The short staffing that we’ve had at Essentia makes quality care more difficult, and they’re asking us to care for more patients with fewer nurses. If we can’t have the time to properly assess our patients, it can adversely change a patient’s outcome.”

Meanwhile, nurses are considering leaving their positions at Essentia due to short staffing, increasing healthcare costs, and more incidents of workplace violence. Nurses are calling for proper staffing, increased security, and continued training to care for a more aggressive patient population, including those with behavioral health issues.

“Since the city of Virginia sold to Essentia, nurses have been very concerned about the quality of care to patients and families,” said Diane Maki, a registered nurse at Virginia hospital. “Nurses and other staff are looking elsewhere for jobs where healthy leadership is in place, where they can go home and feel they had a good day and not apologize there wasn’t enough time to care for patients successfully.”

The informational picket is not a work stoppage. All participants will be on off-work hours. Patient care will not be affected. All participants will be encouraged to wear masks and appropriately social distance during the picketing.

WHAT:     Informational Picket

WHERE:  901 9th St N, Virginia, MN 55792

WHO:       Hundreds of Essentia Registered Nurses and supporters

WHEN:     Monday, August 3, noon – 5:30 p.m.

WHY:        To protest working conditions and failure to secure a fair contract

HOW:        Picketing and leafleting will be done with respect to social distancing
and personal protection

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Media Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

July 27, 2020 (St. Paul) – Virginia nurses working for Essentia have filed the required ten-day notice of intent to hold an informational picket August 3 to alert patients they continue to work without a contract that respects their work. Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association have been without a contract since August 1, 2019. They have engaged in good faith bargaining with negotiators of the Virginia hospital, but management continues to stall and demand concessions from workers.
… Read more about: MNA Nurses to Picket Virginia Hospital Over Contract  »

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Nurses and voters across Minnesota will have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote on two occasions in the coming months. Minnesota’s primary election day is on Tuesday, August 11 for state and some municipal races. In this election, voters will choose which candidates will end up on the ballot in the November election.

Polls will be open if you choose to vote in-person; although with COVID-19, many officials are encouraging voters to request an absentee ballot and vote by mail. To vote by mail, you will need to request that an absentee ballot be mailed to you. You do not need to be registered to vote to apply.
… Read more about: Minnesota’s primary election day is August 11  »

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Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

July 22, 2020 (St. Paul) – The Board of Directors of the Minnesota Nurses Association has voted to approve the first round of endorsements for legislative candidates, based on candidate questionnaires and recommendations by nurse members on various screening committees. MNA asked candidates to identify their positions on multiple issues important to bedside nurses, like appropriate staffing levels in hospitals, adequate PPE supplies, and reforming the current health care system. 
… Read more about: MNA Nurses Endorse Candidates for Minnesota Legislature  »

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Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

 

(St. Paul) July 7, 2020 – Moose Lake nurses have sent Essentia Health a demand to bargain over the effects to the collective bargaining contract created by the company with its takeover of Mercy Hospital.  Registered Nurses have been notified that Essentia intends to disregard the contract and unilaterally implement work and benefits changes that will take thousands of dollars from members of the Minnesota Nurses Association.Essentia takes over the hospital officially on August 1, 2020. 
… Read more about: MNA Nurses Demand Essentia Negotiate Moose Lake Hospital Contract  »

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Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – July 2, 2020 – The Minnesota Nurses Association firmly supports policies of mandatory masks and face coverings as a necessary measure to protect the public and stave off a resurgence of the vicious COVID-19 virus that has ravaged this state.  The Board of Directors voted to support this policy and urge lawmakers at every level to enact mandatory mask orders and ordinances statewide.

Nurses support policies requiring the use of cloth face coverings, in the context of a broader public health response, for the following reasons:

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Media Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

(Bismarck) – June 12, 2020 – St. Alexius MNA nurses will be holding an informational picket on Thursday, June 25, in accordance with the 10-day notice filed with CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck Hospital. After more than 20 bargaining sessions with hospital management, nurse members are still asking for solutions to short staffing, recruitment, and retention to assure Bismarck patients get the care they deserve.
… Read more about: Bismarck Nurses Will Picket CHI St. Alexius Health Hospital Over Staffing and Patient Care Issues  »

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org

The Minnesota Nurses Association joins the Minnesota AFL-CIO in calling for the resignation of Minneapolis Police Union President Bob Kroll and an end to the systemic racism that continues to permeate the Minneapolis Police Department. The murder of George Floyd and the response by Kroll once again demonstrate that racism is endemic to the Minneapolis Police Department and the Minneapolis Police union. It is evident that racism and white supremacy begin at the very top of the Minneapolis Police union by the words and actions of its very own President.
… Read more about: MNA Calls for Kroll’s Resignation and End to Systemic Racism in MPD  »

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org
​

“As nurses, we see the horrific effects of racism in our hospitals and community every day. We cannot remain silent as yet another black man has died at the hands of police. Last night, George Floyd, a black Minnesotan, was pinned to the ground as he repeatedly told the white police officer he could not breathe. Even after Mr. Floyd’s body went limp, the police officer continued to use his knee and full body weight to pin him down until a stretcher was brought to take him away.
… Read more about: MNA Nurses respond to the killing of a black Minnesotan by Minneapolis Police  »

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In: Press Releases

Media Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org
​

(St. Paul) – May 18, 2020 – The Minnesota Nurses Association will be holding an informational picket on Wednesday, in accordance with the 10-day notice filed with United Hospital. Nurse members are asking for a say in worker protections, increased PPE resources with higher safety standards, and an end to retaliation against workers who have tried to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus.
… Read more about: Nurses Will Picket United Hospital and March to State Capitol  »

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Media Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org

Amber Smigiel
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org
​

(St. Paul) – May 18, 2020 – Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association will be testifying on their actual experiences inside the hospitals during a hearing to be held by the Minnesota House Select Committee on Minnesota’s Pandemic Response and Rebuilding. Nurses will alert state representatives on the state of supplies of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), haphazard and rapidly changing safety procedures, mandatory use of outdated or insufficient PPE, effects on healthcare workers’ families, and retaliation against workers for attempting to protect themselves and their patients.
… Read more about: Nurses Will Testify at House Hearing on Hospital Safety During Pandemic  »