Press Release: Nurses to picket Essentia Wednesday, July 27 (Page 53)

Contact:  Rick Fuentes

(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Barbara Brady

(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – July 25, 2016 – Nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth and Superior are taking their frustration with the lack of progress on contract negotiations to the public with an informational picket at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth on July 27.

Nurses have been negotiating with Essentia Health since April. Essentia is trying to force nurses into unacceptable concessions on health insurance while rejecting nurses’ proposals to ensure nurses have the right number of patients at one time in order to care for them safely.

Nurses and supporters will call on Essentia to negotiate a fair contract.

What: MNA nurse informational picket

When: 1-5:30 p.m., July 27

Where: St. Mary’s Medical Center, 407 East Third Street, Duluth

On:
In: Bargaining, Home, Press Releases

Contact:  Rick Fuentes

(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Barbara Brady

(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – July 25, 2016 – Nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth and Superior are taking their frustration with the lack of progress on contract negotiations to the public with an informational picket at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth on July 27.

Nurses have been negotiating with Essentia Health since April. Essentia is trying to force nurses into unacceptable concessions on health insurance while rejecting nurses’ proposals to ensure nurses have the right number of patients at one time in order to care for them safely.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses to picket Essentia Wednesday, July 27  »

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In: Bargaining, Home, Press Releases

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

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – July 15, 2016 – Hundreds of MNA nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth and Superior will hold an informational picket July 27 to publicly urge the hospital system to negotiate a fair contract.

Nurses on July 14 gave the required 10-day notice of the picket in front of St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth from 1-5:30 p.m.

“Essentia is insisting on unacceptable concessions while ignoring our calls for safe staffing,” MNA Essentia Bargaining Unit Chair Steve Strand said.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses at Essentia hospitals in Duluth, Superior set July 27 informational picket  »

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

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Baudette) – July 1, 2016 – Nurses and technical staff employed at LakeWood Health Center in Baudette said ‘yes’ to contract representation by the Minnesota Nurses Association in a June 30 vote.

MNA will represent RNs, LPNs, technicians, and technologists at LakeWood. The new bargaining unit will now begin preparations to bargain a first contract.

“We are excited about having a voice in our workplace so we can continue to advocate for our patients,” said McCall Plourde, a Radiologic Technologist at LakeWood.
… Read more about: Press Release: LakeWood nurses, technical workers vote for MNA representation  »

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In: Allina, Home

Questions Remain to be Answered Before Agreement Can be Reached

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

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

Minneapolis – June 25, 2016 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association report strong attendance on the picket lines around Allina Health hospitals during the week-long strike, which they say indicates a coming together of nurses at all the hospitals.  They also said, however, that seven days of no information from Allina Health CEO Dr. Penny Wheeler has left them feeling farther apart from the company and less optimistic about an agreement.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses closer together but feel farther apart from Allina  »

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In: Allina, Home

By Mathew Keller, RN JD

Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

In its latest ploy, Allina Health has turned to the argument that the health insurance plan MNA nurses currently have would be subject to the excise tax in the Affordable Care Act, also known as the “Cadillac” tax in four years. MNA negotiators did not hear this argument at the bargaining table for one very good reason — the tax  has absolutely nothing to do with this round of negotiations.

The “Cadillac” tax – which is really an excise tax – was enacted as part of the Affordable Care Act as a way to encourage increased cost-sharing in health insurance plans.
… Read more about: Allina’s ‘Cadillac Tax’ Ploy Fails to Pass Muster  »

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In: Allina, Home, Press Releases

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

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

Minneapolis – June 23, 2016 – Striking nurses renewed their invitation to Allina CEO Penny Wheeler to have a direct conversation with them – and expanded the invitation to Allina Board of Directors Chair John Church, an executive vice president of General Mills.

“Nurses are growing increasingly frustrated with the resounding silence from Dr. Wheeler and the Board of Directors, who should be stepping up and calling for a resolution,” said Abbott Northwestern RN Angela Becchetti. “We invited Dr.
… Read more about: Press Release: Nurses Renew Call for Allina CEO to Talk Directly to Them  »

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In: Allina, Home, Nurses Strike

By Mathew J. Keller, RN JDkellerjan2016

Regulatory and Policy Nursing Specialist

A company leans on its board of directors for counsel, for investment, and for leadership.  The board is a group of advisers with expertise above and/or outside of the company’s executive team.  It’s disappointing to see that so many healthcare corporations don’t include nurses on their boards.

In the case of the 19 members of the Allina Health Board of Directors, a full seven are investment bankers or associated financial professionals. In fact, the list of board includes several CEOs (such as the head of Buffalo Wild Wings), a dean of a business school, a marketing guru, a supply chain VP for General Mills, and a retired attorney.
… Read more about: Composition of Allina Health’s Board of Directors Speaks Volumes  »

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In: Bargaining, Duluth Bargaining, Home, Press Releases

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

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – June 17, 2017 – MNA nurses at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth ratified a new contract on June 16.

Nurses voted for a three-year contract that includes wage increases, improvements to retirement benefits, and incentives to ensure enough nurses are scheduled to provide safe patient care.

“We negotiated a fair contract that recognizes the important work nurses do,” MNA St. Luke’s Bargaining Unit Chair Cindy Prout said. “We hope Essentia Health will join St.
… Read more about: Press Release: MNA nurses ratify contract with St. Luke’s Hospital  »

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In: Home, Press Releases

Contact: Rick Fuentes

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

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – June 8, 2016 – Today the Minnesota Nurses Association delivered the 10-day Notice of Intent to Strike to Allina Health executives. MNA Nurses at all five metro Allina hospitals will strike for seven days starting at 7 a.m. on Sunday, June 19, 2016 to 7 a.m. Sunday, June 26, 2016. This strike involves approximately 5,000 nurses at Abbott Northwestern, Phillips Eye Institute, Mercy, United, and Unity.

“We hope this action sends a clear-cut message to Allina what we think of their May 31 offer,” said Angela Becchetti, RN at Abbott Northwestern hospital.
… Read more about: Press Release: MNA nurses tell Allina Health strike begins June 19  »

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In: Home, Press Releases

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

Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – June 6, 2016 – Nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association voted overwhelmingly to reject the latest offer by Allina Health and authorize the negotiating team to call a strike in the coming weeks.

Since February, the owner of Abbott Northwestern/Phillips Eye Institute, Mercy, United, and Unity hospitals has continued to make the same proposal to take away nurses’ affordable health plans and move them to corporate plans with big out-of-pocket costs for employees.

“Nurses know what’s at stake.
… Read more about: Press Release: MNA Nurses Reject Allina Contract Offer, Authorize Strike Strike Plans Now Being Made  »