Press Release: Legislators to Allina: Negotiate a Fair Contract with Nurses

(Minneapolis) – September 19, 2016 –  Two dozen Minnesota legislators showed up to support striking Allina nurses and walk the picket line today.Speaking at a news conference outside Abbott Northwestern Hospital, legislators from districts served by Allina Health hospitals called on Allina to negotiate a fair contract with  nurses and signed a letter supporting MNA nurses.

“It is time to settle this contract,” said Rep. Erin Murphy, also a registered nurse. “By keeping nurses out on the picket line, they are driving costs up, and those dollars they are spending are community dollars.”

“What we’re fighting for today, and what’s brought out so many of us to stand beside you, is that we want a state where people should be valued not just for their value to the marketplace but for their value to other human beings, which you can’t put a dollar value on,” Rep. Paul Thissen told the news conference. “And nurses are absolutely of incredible value.”

“Something is going on here,” said Senator Scott Dibble. “It doesn’t make sense to spend millions and millions of dollars here to save much less money.  Something’s going on here, and it’s apparent that it’s Allina’s disregard for collective bargaining and your union.”

The letter urges Allina to compromise with nurses: “It is in the community’s best interests to settle this dispute and ensure that nurses are there to continue to deliver the quality care that Minnesotans deserve and expect.”

Legislators who attended the news conference
Rep. Erin Murphy (DFL-St. Paul)
Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-Minneapolis)
Rep. Dan Schoen (DFL-Cottage Grove)
Rep. Mike Freiburg (DFL-Golden Valley)
Rep. Peter Fischer (DFL-Maplewood)
Rep. Peggy Flanagan (DFL-St. Louis Park)
Rep. Ray Dehn (DFL-Minneapolis)
Rep. Frank Hornstein (DFL-Minneapolis)
Rep. Mike Nelson (DFL-Brooklyn Park)
Rep. David Bly (DFL-Northfield)
Rep. Linda Slocum (DFL-Richfield)
Rep. Sandy Masin (DFL-Eagan)
Rep. Susan Allen (DFL-Minneapolis)
Rep. Karen Clark (DFL-Minneapolis)
Rep. Peter Fisher (DFL-Maplewood)
Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis)
Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope)
Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville)
Sen. Chuck Wiger (DFL-Maplewood)
Sen. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Minneapolis)
Sen. Melisa Franzen (DFL-Edina)
Sen. Foung Hawj (DFL-St. Paul)
Sen. Patricia Torres Ray (DFL-Minneapolis)
Sen. Jim Carlson (DFL-Eagan)
Chris Tolbert, St. Paul City Council.

Nurses have not heard from Allina Health since Saturday, September 3, when the nurses’ negotiating team submitted their last proposal. Allina also hasn’t responded to a request to return to the negotiating table made on September 3. Nurses began an open-ended, Unfair Labor Practice strike on September 5.