MNA Daily NewsScan, October 24, 2012: Marshall action; Honoring Wellstones; Equal pay news is dismal (Page 94)

NOTES ON NURSING

Hayride For Patient Safety in Marshall  MNA Nurses at Marshall Avera Regional Medical Center took to the streets on Oct. 23 – on a haywagon – to campaign for a fair contract that keeps patients safe.   

LABOR NEWS

Today in History:  In 1940, the 40-hour work week went into effect under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

Equal Pay?  U.S. Still Doesn’t Get it Right    If a young man and woman fresh out of college with the same degree walk into a large firm, typically, the man can get placed in higher-wage jobs than the woman.

A Decade of Income Stagnation   For the first time since the Great Depression, median family income has fallen substantially over an entire decade. Income grew slowly through most of the last decade, except at the top of the distribution, before falling sharply when the financial crisis began.

SPECIAL

Oct. 25 is the 10th anniversary of the tragic death of Paul, Sheila and Marcia Wellstone, along with aides Tom Lapic, Mary McEvoy and Will Mclaughlin.  Learn how you can pay tribute to these true friends of nursing

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Hospitals, Nurses, Nursing, Organizing, Politics

NOTES ON NURSING

Hayride For Patient Safety in Marshall  MNA Nurses at Marshall Avera Regional Medical Center took to the streets on Oct. 23 – on a haywagon – to campaign for a fair contract that keeps patients safe.   

LABOR NEWS

Today in History:  In 1940, the 40-hour work week went into effect under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938.

Equal Pay?  U.S. Still Doesn’t Get it Right    If a young man and woman fresh out of college with the same degree walk into a large firm, typically, the man can get placed in higher-wage jobs than the woman.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, October 24, 2012: Marshall action; Honoring Wellstones; Equal pay news is dismal  »

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MNA nurses at Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center took their patient advocacy to the streets yesterday – on a haywagon!  Carrying the message of “Nurses on the Frontlines for Main Street People,” the nurses rode a very public route that included passing the hospital, Southwest State University and the HyVee, as well as through residential streets.  Negotiations are dragging and nurses are demanding a contract that helps nurses keep patients safe, including:

• adequate staffing

• A contract that gives us a stronger voice in patient care

• Healthy workplaces that keep nurses at the bedside

MNA members distributed nearly 1,000 flyers with the name and contact information of Avera CEO, Mary Martens.
… Read more about: Marshall Nurses on Hayride for Patient Safety  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, National Nurses United, Nurses, Nursing, Politics

HEALTH CARE

“Substantial” Variation from State to State in Hospital Safety Records    The rankings are based on an analysis of data released annually by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and look at how approximately 4,500 hospitals nationwide performed on risk-adjusted mortality and complication rates for nearly 30 of the most common conditions and procedures.

U.S. Health Care Costs Comparison Doesn’t Add Up   How much is good health care worth to you? $8,233 per year? That’s how much the U.S. spends per person.  Worth it?

LABOR NEWS

Another Blow to Scott Walker’s Attempts to Strip Collective Bargaining Unit Laws  Attorney General J.B.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, October 23, 2012: Take a sick day – you’re fired; Kennedy trial begins  »

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In: Activism, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing, Politics

HEALTH CARE

Is Imported Seafood Safe?   In a scathing 2011 report, the General Accounting Office found that in fiscal 2009, the FDA tested about 0.1 percent of all imported seafood products for drug residues.”

Large Employers Look to On-Site Clinics to Reduce Costs and Absenteeism  These facilities are being established by firms across all sectors to offer everything from urgent and primary care to biometric screenings to chronic disease management.

Are Social Factors Tied to Hospital Readmissions?   In the new study, researchers analyzed data from 72 previous papers examining the reasons people died or were readmitted to the hospital, and found that age, race, employment status, living situation, education and income levels are just some of the factors that may play a role.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, Oct. 22, 2012: RI makes flu shots mandatory for HC workers; What factors contribute to readmissions  »

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In: Activism, Healthcare, Labor Unions, National Nurses United, Nurses, Nursing, Organizing, Politics, Robin Hood Tax

MNA 107th Annual Convention:  See.  Learn.  Prepare.  Act.

The annual convention of the Minnesota Nurses Association fortified members’ stance on nursing issues and demonstrated their resolve to act collectively on those issues.

“We are MNA,” said President Linda Hamilton, RN, BSN during her opening speech.  “We are 20,000 voices.  We are 20,000 votes.  We are nurses standing together across this country as National Nurses United. We are 185,000 voices. We are 185,000 votes.  Our voices and votes ring loud and true to defend the values we hold dear against the injustice of the corporate machine and corrupted political process.”

200 delegates dug into a packed agenda that mixed organizational business, education, celebration, fun and action during the  one pre-convention and three official days of the event, held from Oct.
… Read more about: MN Nurses 107th Annual Convention Summary  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing

HEALTH CARE

Health Care Fraud Deconstructed:  Fraud and Patients Not the Problem  The bottom line is that there is already enough money in the system to more than adequately cover everybody, if we can eliminate the waste. To do so, we would have to kill a few golden geese. The owners of those geese will be unhappy and will fight tooth and nail, but the rest of us would be much better off.

Lapses at Big Drug Factories Add to Shortages and Dangers   Weevils floating in vials of heparin. Morphine cartridges that contain up to twice the labeled dose.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, October 19, 2012: Who is really scamming the HC system?; Newborns at risk  »

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In: Activism, Bargaining, Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, Nurses, Nursing

HEALTH CARE

Hospital Lobbies to Save Exec Pay   A Peninsula ballot measure that would limit the pay of executives at El Camino Hospital faces its toughest opposition from the hospital, which has donated three-quarters of the campaign funds to defeat the proposal.

Two Huge Health Systems Plan to Merge   The boards of two leading Catholic health systems, Trinity Health and Catholic Health East, have announced plans to join forces in 2013.

 

LABOR NEWS

Corporate Profits Continue to Skyrocket.  What’s in your wallet?
… Read more about: MNA NewsScan, October 18, 2012: Lobby $$ spent to save hospital exec pay; Corp. profits skyrocket  »

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In: Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, National Nurses United, Nurses, Nursing, Politics, Robin Hood Tax

The 107th Annual MNA Convention is underway this week in Duluth! Make sure you follow MNA on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates, photos and more!

LABOR NEWS

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A report by the Economic Policy Institute shows that the decline in wages in Michigan is tied to the decline in collective bargaining.

At a noon rally in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday, musicians of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra sought to gain attention for their side of a dispute with management over pay, artistic control and other contractual details.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, October 17, 2012 – SPCO Musicians Rally; Michigan Workers See Wages Decline  »

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In: Healthcare, Hospitals, Labor Unions, National Nurses United, Nurses, Nursing, Politics, Robin Hood Tax

The 107th Annual MNA Convention is underway this week in Duluth! Make sure you follow MNA on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates, photos and more!

LABOR NEWS

Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain, Ohio, has reached an agreement with its nurses, avoiding a strike scheduled to occur this week, according to a Chronicle-Telegram report.

Former Republican insider Michael Brodkorb admitted to WCCO-TV last night that the controversial Marriage Amendment on the ballot this fall in Minnesota was created merely to increase voter turnout among Conservative Republicans.
… Read more about: MNA Daily NewsScan, October 16, 2012 – Republican Insider: MN Marriage Amendment a GOTV Tactic  »