For Immediate Release
Contact: Rick Fuentes
(o) 651-414-2863
(c) 612-741-0662
rick.fuentes@mnnurses.org
Contact: Barbara Brady
(o) 651-414-2849
(c) 651-202-0845
barbara.brady@mnnurses.org
(St. Paul) – August 31, 2017 – MNA nurses at Mayo hospitals in Austin and Albert Lea today ratified a plan for dealing with the effects of Mayo’s decision to upend patient care at both hospitals and close most inpatient services in Albert Lea.
Following several days of negotiations, a majority of nurses from both hospitals voted to accept Mayo’s offer to address issues including patient care training for nurses who move to a new unit, seniority, retention, and severance for nurses whose jobs are affected by the decision.
“We now have a process that Mayo must follow when units are closed and nurses are forced to change jobs,” said MNA Austin Chair Kathryn Martin.
“Nurses hope to minimize the impact on patients and the care they receive when any changes are imposed,” said MNA Albert Lea Chair Kathy Lehman. “We continue to work with the Save Our Hospital group to fight Mayo’s plan to devastate communities in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa that will no longer have a full-service hospital in Albert Lea. Nurses needed to have some assurances from Mayo on how changes in their jobs will be handled.”
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Thank you nurses for your dedication to providing knowledgeable tender loving care to each of your patients. Each one of you is truly an Angel of Mercy!