“We ARE Ready” for our negotiations, for more respect from management, better staffing, better wages, and better protections for nurses and our patients. Wear this button proudly and make sure to take a photo of yourself wearing it (without any patient information in your background & during a break or in the breakroom) and upload it to our local/unit MNA Facebook Group.
Wearing this button is your legal right. It is a violation of the National Labor Relations Act for management to ask you not to wear this button. If this occurs, ask your supervisor to put it in writing and you may tell them, “I will comply with your directive, but I need to inform you that your request/directive is an Unfair Labor Practice under the National Labor Relations Act and may have negative consequences for management during our negotiations. Are you sure you want me to remove my button?” If they insist, comply with their directive in that moment and immediately inform your union steward of the occurrence.
Social Media Toolkit
You’ve got your buttons and stickers. Now it’s time to show them off on social media!
Primary Hashtag: #MNAReady
Other Hashtags: #PatientsBeforeProfits #UnionStrong #1u
Accounts to Tag: Twitter @MNNurses Instagram @MinnesotaNurses Facebook @MinnesotaNurses
Facebook Profile Picture: Right-click the image below and chose “Save Link As”
How do I add or change my Facebook profile picture?
Sample Social Media Copy
I’m proud to be an MNA nurse! We are READY to fight for ourselves, our patients, and our communities. We deserve a fair contract for the sacrifices we’ve made over the last two years to keep Minnesotans safe. And we won’t back down until we get it! #MNAReady
Protecting Yourself on Social
From the National Labor Relations Board:
“Using social media can be a form of ‘protected concerted’ activity. You have the right to address work-related issues and share information about pay, benefits, and working conditions with coworkers on Facebook, YouTube, and other social media. But just individually griping about some aspect of work is not ‘concerted activity’: what you say must have some relation to group action, or seek to initiate, induce, or prepare for group action, or bring a group complaint to the attention of management.”
Here are some tips to organize and participate in concerted activity successfully on social media without ending up in hot water:
- Avoid saying anything online you wouldn’t say in person or want your grandmother to see.
- Always use WE not I when describing issues in your workplace.
- Avoid showing private information about yourself or your patients. This includes your badge being visible or patient information on whiteboards, charts, etc.
- Be careful where and when you take and post your photos. Always be off the clock/on break and make sure there isn’t any sensitive information in the photo, including the type of computers or other security equipment your hospital uses.
- Get permission from coworkers before sharing photos or videos of them online.
- Assume everything you put online could end up public, even in private groups and chats.
If you have any questions, contact MNA Digital Communications Specialist Amber Smigiel at amber.smigiel@mnnurses.org or (651) 202-0845.