JUNE 24, 2010 STATEMENT FROM THE MINNESOTA NURSES ASSOCIATION:
Our nurses spent more than 13 hours today doing our best to stay hopeful about negotiations. Unfortunately, zero progress was made. Despite today’s setback, our nurses offered to return to the bargaining table again on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and every other day until a contract agreement can be reached. Instead, the Twin Cities Hospitals responded that the earliest they could meet would be sometime next week.
It has become beyond obvious to our nurses that the Twin Cities Hospitals, despite what they continue to say publicly, have no interest in meaningful or good faith negotiations. MNA had agreed not to file a 10-day strike notice if meaningful, productive negotiations were taking place. Since that is not the case, our nurses will be filing a formal 10-day strike notice tomorrow morning, June 25, 2010.
Minnesota Nurses 
Fellow MNA RNs:
Please be aware that the SCABS are starting to frequent this site. (again…)
Mna RN, why should it matter that “replacement” nurses, are looking at this blog, no secrets here. Why are you so hostile? This is a sad day. Our patients’ will suffer when we walk off the job.
To HeidiRN:
It’s sorta like if you’re going to go swimming in the ocean and there just happens to be a swarm of SHARKS (SCABS) in the water… I just like to give my fellow swimmers a heads up. Sounds like you’re the one with the real problem…
Once again Mna RN, sharks? Scabs? Nice analogy. Just how do our patients’ fare in this ocean of yours?
So glad to hear a fellow nurse speak with some reason. This IS a sad day. I would certainly hope that no one had their fingers crossed in favor of a strike, but unfortunately some have made me think that was their hope. Not only will our patient’s be in danger, but how our patient’s see us as professionals is beginning to suffer.
We should not have any animosity towards the “replacement” (SCAB) nurses. Our battle is not with them but with the hospitals. If you want to be angry at someone be angry and disappointed in the Hospitals bringing them in and being willing to pay them big bucks instead of using that $ to save our pensions and increase safe patient care. The “replacement” nurses are there to fill in for us (I would never want their job) to make sure our patients have some sort of care (not sure of the quality of care), but we should all (including the community) be disappointed with the hospitals .
MNA RN – it is you that have the problem. Someone has to take care of the PEOPLE that you’re walking out on. What if it were one of your family members that were in the hospital during this fiasco? Would you not be worried about who or if anyone would be taking care of them during their most vulnerable time? Or would you rather someone die while you strike because you want outside nurses not to show up? Will it be worth it then? Look at the “replacements” as a force to help you in your quest to get what you want without compromising the nursing practice and patients lives. We don’t want people to think that nurses don’t care about the patient, and this is what you’re fighting for….safety for the darn patient. So if you care so much, stop spreading this plague of calling people scabs and do what you have to do.
We would “rather” you refused to cross our picket line which would then force these corporations to negotiate because they would see that no one was willing to work as a scab and keep their hospitals open. They would have no choice but to actually bargain and avert a strike. It’s not that complicated. It is not a situation where no one would take care of the patients unless you do- there would not be a strike. So don’t make it sound like you crossing our picket line is about the patients and you are coming here to swoop in and “save” them. You are doing it for the money. If not, DONATE the money, otherwise quit trying to make yourself feel better about your lack of integrity. I’m not buying it.
@Heidi, Kelly & Super_RN – thank you for speaking reasonably!!
@MNA RN – your posting is offensive and devisive.
I AM an RN, but I am not an MNA RN, because I no longer work at the hospital, but teach and bring students to the hospital. I know what’s going on. I’ve been a nurse a LONG time – I know what has been going on for a long time. I’ve been a long advocate of unionized nurses – and was even a union rep for a short time – but the more I saw of MNA’s practices, the less I believed they were behaving smartly.
I come to the MNA site NOT to spy, but because there is no other place to get information on what’s going on here! By reading all news reports, the “bs” TCH puts out, and the “BS” I read here, I still don’t know what the **** is going on!
I pray for all of you, and I hope you’re doing the right thing, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE be at a most appropriate level of behavior. This snarky accusing of “you are not a nurse, you don’t know, you’re lying” does not help anyone, and makes our profession look like scum.
It’s bad enough I cannot be a member of a statewide professional organization because of the pervasive “if you’re not one of us, you’re management and we hate you” behavior and message. And you better believe I’ve faced that and had more than enough of it.
I don’t know nowadays if I will even ADMIT to being an RN with what I read! So again, Heidi and Kelly and the others of you out there – thank you for speaking like professionals and seeing what a tragedy this could be, and for standing up to bring the profession FORWARD.
What SHOULD I tell my students??
ExperiencedRN, I couldn’t have said it any better!
Maybe you should tell them that being a SCAB is not a good thing… duh.
This has been my ongoing message to these very abusive posts. Thank you for speaking up. I am not against each person having opinions but I am totally saddened by those representing a group of professional nurses being so abusive, uncaring, unprofessional and disrespectful. I have been blocked from this site with recent blogs. Hope to still add a ray hope here on occasion whenever I am allowed in.
Repeat:
The Definition of a Scab…
Scabs have been called many things by many people during the course of labor history but Jack London’s description of the scab, “written with barbed wire on sandpaper,” easily dwarfs all others.
“After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, the vampire, He had some awful substance left with which He made a scab.
A scab is a two-legged animal with a cork-screw soul, a water-logged brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue. Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles.
When a scab comes down the street, men turn their backs and angels weep in heaven, and the Devil shuts the gates of Hell to keep him out.
No man has a right to scab so long as there is a pool of water to drown his carcass in, or a rope long enough to hang his body with. Judas Iscariot was a gentleman compared with a scab. For betraying his master, he had character enough to hang himself. A scab has not.
Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. Judas Iscariot sold his Savior for thirty pieces of silver. Benedict Arnold sold his country for a promise of a commission in the British Army. The modern strikebreaker sells his birthright, his country, his wife, his children and his fellow men for an unfulfilled promise from his employer, trust or corporation.
Esau was a traitor to himself: Judas Iscariot was a traitor to his God; Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country; a strikebreaker is a traitor to his God, his country, his wife, his family and his class.”
Jack London (1876-1916)
MNA RN – for your sake, I hope your on-line demeanor doesn’t carry over into your work life, because you are a dangerous and scary person. Are you that nurse in Faribault that was encouraging on-line suicides?
Wow… “uggh” is right.
SCABS defy logic article:
http://www.nursingcenter.com/library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=482132
If the article does not show up, click the first yellow button.
I see you are still in the top 10 of disrespecful and abusive posts. AND still no sharing of who you are and where you work. Darkness disappears in the light. The light around you is getting brighter!!
This is to MNA RN
To LRL… AKA Linda:
(How come you had to change your tag?) Still trying to hide in the bushes? Peek-a-boo! We see you! Your can change your color but you still have spots… and you still quack like a duck.
Eh! I just see MNA RN and go to the next post. Not worth the effort. He/She is blind and dumb to what others are trying to tell him/her. Watch – she’ll remark on this too. Waste. I agree with other postings here – there is hope. But there are always some “MNA RNs” out there! Let’s hope WE still outnumber THEM!!
Just to let you know, the U is behind you as much as can be. From student to staff to faculty, we have you in our minds. This will get better.
Solidarity.
Thanks for your support, Eric. You demonstrate a point I try to make to a lot of my fellow nurses: we are the standard bearer for other non-union nurses. Our issues our their issues. Also for all other workers. What we have and risk having taken away are what every American worker deserves: the ability to perform our jobs safely, protection of our professional licenses, fair wages & benefits, etc.
Solidarity!!
Thank you so much Eric. You have no idea how much the support means. Keep it comming. Keep it loud.
Is this yet another way TCH are stalling and dragging their feet? Trying to push things to their July 31 timeline.
The hospitals were probably hoping that MNA would be stupid enough to allow negotiations to SLOWLY drag on in July so the TCH would actually get their wish of there being no strike in July as they had originally requested! Then in August they could call a halt to the pseudo negotiations and tell us to bring on the strike if we don’t like their final offer because by then they will be better preparedfor it!
stalling they are just giving themselfes time..
wow, what a let down for nurses. I know there is a way to make it work. But they will not listen or even try. I know Mna is trying their BEST and thank-you so much for doing the negotiations. Alot of sleepless nites, and the hospitals make light of it. Its too bad but STRIKE!!!! and lets all stick together. For sickness and in Health. GO MNA
No surprise there. Instead of being the leaders of what WILL BECOME a national industry standard for safe staffing and patient care, they will be remembered as the people who were so resistant , that there will always be doubt about any future administrative decisions in the minds of the public they are suppose to serve, as well as the people they employ. .
Stay united nurses.
Thank you MNA representatives and all who have dedicated themselves into this.
Thank you so much you negotiating team. Your stamina and determination is to be commended. Eat, drink and rest. The sun will come out tomorrow!
Why I do not understand but I can only conclude that for some reason they (TCH) want a strike. I guess they will get what they want now.
TCH is certainly acting like they want the strike. With their stonewalling and Ms Shriners unprofessional taunting in the media it is an ominous sign that they really want the big showdown.
We new grads are behind you! It’s sad that the suits and ties don’t want to recognize the faces who provide the faces, and don’t want to acknowledge that there are a plethora of us newbies out there who could really help them with those staffing issues!
Please MNA do not let them keep dragging this out!!!! Just give them the strike notice and let’s get on with it. We know they are already planning on us striking and that they won’t actually negotiate with us at least until then, it’s just a media trick and their way of getting what they want by pushing back the strike date.
Thank you MNA for fighting for us! We appreciate all your hard work!!!!
It is clear by this post that hospitals didn’t budge on their proposals today. What specifically did MNA offer to give up today that was new?
Good question, I’d like to think that efforts were made to modify our proposals (in ADDITION to what modifications we’ve already made) in a way that would have TCH at least consider them.
It will be interesting to see how this ends. I work for a hospital that is non-union and has several pay practices modeled after the MNA contract out of the twin cities. The three things that I believe are causing the nurses to look unfavorable in the publics eyes are the high pension demands, full time health benefits for nurses that work 16 hours per week, and 95% of healthcare premium costs covered by the employer. I belive that if these three demands would be let go, better staffing numbers might be able to be worked out. This does not include 24/7 fixed staffing but improved matrix figures and better ability to call nurses in when the “churn” factor is high (churn=admits/discharges/observations/1:1 patients, etc) and when the midnight census doesnt tell the whole story. Another area to let up on is the floating factor between units. In RN school, clinicals are done in a 4 year program in ICU, Peds, Med/Surg, Surgery, OB, and mental health. The training may not be specific but floating to another unit to offer up an additional hand would help more than sitting on a floor without patients because you are maxed out on low census days. Just my thoughts after hearing about the strike notice tomorrow.
Steve
You make some good points, except that the hospitals are not even willing to discuss anything with MNA–The proposals set forth by MNA are just starting points and by no means meant to be the end of the discussion, MNA has made this very very clear throughout this highly frustrating time!!
I’m not a nurse, but my wife is, so I cannot speak to the staffing issues. But, from the outside looking in its ridiculous to characterise MNA’s desire to leave the pension alone as “high pension demands.” The pension as it stands is not overly generous when compared to other entities that still have pensions. My wife has a 403b deferred comp plan she can contribute to, but Allina doesn’t match anything. Providing a retirement benefit is not an onerous duty of an employer if they want to compete for talent in the marketplace. Complaining their cost will double this year is a red herring when viewed in the historical context of the inevitable investment market cycle. Fo many years the hospitals rode the wave of high returns and made minimal contributions, now with the inevitable market correction that occurred they have to make a larger contribution to keep the pension fund solvent. Time will come with the market’s inevitable recovery that they will make a lesser contribution. If they chose to they could make a level contribution over time to minimise the effect of market fluctuations.
Are you sure that isn’t a 457b “deferred compensation plan” that Allina isn’t matching? 457b’s are heavily regulated by the IRS, and as as the name implies, it is simply an opportunity to defer a portion of your earned compensation into a savings/retirement fund. My spouse is eligible for these plans with Allina, and I know for fact that Allina does offer a 50% match to their 403b plan (and it vests immediately, which is quite rare), plus they add to the 403b pot an annual contribution, which in my wife’s case is 3.5 %.
Deferred Comp plans exist under many sections of the IRS code. My understanding is Hospitals and other non-profits have 403b plans, as does the Federal Government. For profit private corporations can have 401k plans. I have a 457 plan where I work for a local government unit and my employer provides a modest amount of matching. My wife works at St. Francis/Allina and they are not providing any contribution (match or non-match) to her 403b account, even though she is contributing herself. If she is supposed to be getting something, she isn’t that I can tell from the statements they send to her.
very well said- both sides need to compromise on things. The MNA contract proposals are not reality.
We have adjusted our proposals in those areas and the hospitals have not responded to those adjustments either-they are not interested in one word of our proposal.
Steve,
Not sure what capacity you work in your hospital but… Regarding “RN school” (you mean college?) the rotations to the various units are a very basic starting point and exposure to those areas- experience is the best teacher and no nurse is a jack-of-all-trades these days. We are not interchangeable widgets that can go to just any unit in the hospital. It’s unsafe for those patients and our license (and therefore our livelihood) is on the line. I assume you wouldn’t got to an OB/GYN if you had issues with your heart. Why would you think an OB/GYN nurse would be well-versed in caring for a cardiac patient?? Therefore there needs to be limits put in place as to where we float. The pension and other benefits need to remain in place… we are ALL going to be in a world of hurt in about 15 years when there’s a projected 260,000 nurse shortage in this country. We need to do what we can to attract people to be in this profession- it’s an investment in all our futures to address this shortage sooner rather than later… this is a “pay now or pay MUCH MORE later” situation. The benefits at .4 need to stay in place. What you may not know is that awhile back many, many nurses decreased their FTE’s to .4 to help the very hospitals that are now trying to screw us over. They did this voluntarily in response to lower need but with the understanding they could retain their benefits. To take those benefits away now would be a slap in their faces. Lastly, I’ve heard only support from the public when I’ve been out in my MNA shirt. However, I’m sure there are those in the public that look at us unfavorably. A huge part of that is that we nurses in the union don’t have millions of dollars that we can access to hire a PR firm, create misleading radio ads, etc. The “spin” the hospitals have put on this situation does NOT tell the whole story.
To Allina RN:
Well stated… thank you for this truthful and informative interjection. This information needs to be put out there for “those” that need to hear the truth of the matter. Some of “those” (by choice) choose to not hear the truth or simply refuse to see it. The people (public) that I have conversations with are very well informed and stand in support of their nurses. One person described the nurses that she has encountered over time as: “Nurses in my opinion have hearts of warriors and wings of angels…”
Solidarity!
What if you allow them to make it a .5 to receive benefits so that all employees are on the same page but within the contract force them to bump .4s to .5a, might be a better tactic or at least something to show your willing to negotiate.
It is indeed a sad day for the nurses but more so for our patients. Too bad the TCH think new buildings are more important that the lives and cares of our patients
Thank you for the thoughts for the patients’. It is indeed a sad day.
Thank you, MNA negotiating team! We’re very disappointed in our employers. We’re solidly for each other, the public, the future of health care in this region and the rest of the country. We will do whatever it takes to be able to vote for a fair contract. Thank you for all your hard work.
Steve, not sure how long you have been in nursing
but do you have retirement, ADEQUATE insurance coverage at a reasonable cost. We have insurance in Duluth, but in order to get a descent co-payment we must go to their physicians, so they can continue to make money off their employees.
Are you willing to give up your retirement, take a cut in your health care ?
I bet not, I also bet that because of MNA your making a descent wage.
Don’t cut down the MNA Nurse’s unless you are willing to give up all that you have.
I bet your not willing to do that.
Mna Rn I posted a response earlier, and I do believe I was censored. I’ll try again, you clearly don’t know about, as you put it “adequate” insurance. Rns’ have wonderful benefits, and still some of us are willing to make sacrifices to keep practicing. We are not weak, afraid or inadequate. This is not the last negotiation we will face, we will have “fights” in our future. Are the hospitals trying to take advantage of this crappy economy? Maybe, but some of us are willing to COMPROMISE. Maybe you will have retired by then and the younger generation of nurses can carry on with patient care.
FYI:
Heidi (so sorry) was just discovered (called out) on Facebook (where she has also been posting) AKA Lori S. who is actually a supervisor at Park Nicollet Urgent Care/Carlson Parkway (?!). She is management, she is not an MNA RN, not union. Just thought that might shed a little bit of light before she tries to squeeze anymore tears out of anyone and “encourages” and justifies crossing at “stop signs”. Sure makes me want to give the wolf a nice big warm and fuzzy hug… talk about the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing. I post this for the purpose of reality. These are some of the people that we are dealing with here and it is straight out of Union Busting 101. Please be aware. Is it wrong? Is it not being positive? Is this politically correct talk or behavior? Is this nice or kind? Does it make one scratch their head and ask: “What the…?”
Heidi AKA Lori S. works as a supervisor at Park Nicollet Urgent Care/Carlson Parkway – pretending to be a “victim” of the union. They also spent 8.8 million on their landscaping (?!). How does this equate into keeping our patients safe?
Now… if that makes any kind of sense to anyone please raise you hand.
Mna rn, you really have issues. I am not anyone other than Heidi. Not mng., not admn, just a union nurse, who works med-surg. I don’t know who you’ve “called out”, but boy do I feel sorry for her. Now she’ll have to deal with your rants.
No more nameless anonymity for “TCH”. We and the media, need to start naming who these people are. Each CEO, and each of their 8 VP’s, every executive and financial officer. No more hiding behind a corporate shield. These are real people, making real decisions that will effect real patients in our community. They want to avoid being on record against patient safety. Don’t let them. If they are against patient safety, then by golly, let the consumer know . Call it what it is. They are telling the public “we COULD give you the safe care you pay for, but we don’t want to.”
Bet lots of people would like full-time benefits when you work part-time. Look hasn’t everyones retirement account been hurt with the economy over the last many years? What makes you guys better? I would also like full time pay and benefits for working partime, its not going to happen. Expecting a little much! Come on in the ER I work at there are 3 patients to one nurse. Overload??
I am so disappointed. If only I were a fly on the wall to witness the back and forth…assuming there was any. Does anyone else agree that accepting the union’s proposal regarding wages (0, 1, 2) would be a great way to sway the public to our side? How about reworking the staffing proposal so there aren’t finite numbers…make some suggestions. The hospitals obviously are not going to make any offers of any kind on the current wording.
It’ll be a sad day when you can only get a .4 position because that’s all they are hiring for so you don’t qualify for benefits. They will beg you to work more, and you will, because who really ever works a .4?
Why should a healthcare worker ever be without health insurance?
I have been out of school for 20 years, you don’t think advances in each speciality have occured? I would be scary on some floors. Floating everywhere doesn’t work unless you are properly oriented. It’s not like working in menswear one day and then the next in grocery. Ask our patients what they would think about that one.
It wouldn’t just be a “helping hand” if floated. You would be expected to be a full team player.
And the pension demand is that they just leave the pension alone.
No take backs and safe staffing. It’s not that hard to understand. Even the places that have frozen salaries, the U, for instance, have left benefits intact.
It’s really about breaking the union. They have never, ever spent so much time or energy trying to discredit us. Remember 3 years ago? No, no one does.
This time, there is a website, a spokeperson, a media presence and a scary law firm that specializes in breaking unions.
So we will walk…
LuckyRN – you are SO right! Case in point – I just had a baby 5 weeks ago. The labor nurse was awesome, I also had my mom there who is an RN but works primarily in cardiac and radiology. It was great to have my mom there as my mom, but NO WAY would I want someone to have “floated” her in there in lieu of my labor nurse. YES – things change so much after nurses leave school! And if you aren’t working in that area regularly and aren’t up to date, the quality of care you can provide PLUMMETS!
To LuckyRN:
Thank you, well said! Solidarity!
I work straight nights on a postpartum unit. That spokesperson (who isn’t a nurse and has NEVER worked nights or days in a hospital) had the nerve to say that patients sleep at night and don’t require any care??? Our moms are awake during the night, trying to breast feed their babies, learning how to take care of their newborns, along with trying to recover from their c-sections. They don’t wait until the daytime to hemorrhage, they don’t wait to start Mag for those who are hypertensive, the babies don’t wait to turn dusky when they eat or their bilirubins don’t wait for the daytime to be high and require bili lites. So in summary, those people who think patients “sleep like babies” during the night are completely ignorant. Not only do pts require just as much care, the true fact is that babies don’t sleep during the night either!!!!
I understand that handing the TCH a strike notice is the best strategy to go with, but my question is this, are we still going to go back and “negotiate” next week when the TCH said they could meet? Not doing this would be a terrible decision in my opinion, I’m not exactly optimistic that anything would be resolved but at least we would have a chance at doing so…
Bring it on!
I’m sorry to hear that you will file a strike notice today. I work at a non-union hospital in the East Metro where things are good. Nursing is respected by management and we all seem to get along well. It’s hard for me to believe that staffing is so dangerous that you barely make it through a shift with your patient’s still alive. Many people in the public have been asking me what is so horrid at the union hospitals that the nurses can’t take care of the patients safely? Obviously I can’t answer them since I don’t work at a union hospital. A friend is a C.N.A. at Children’s Hospital..she is puzzled too as she believes there are always plenty of nurses “sitting around”. I would venture to say that the public is not on your side this time around…I’m sure this will start a barrage of hate mail directed at me but if it makes anyone reflect on what is really at stake here, I guess it’s worth it. I do wish all nurses the best–I am one too and believe me, I know how tough the job can be. R.N. since 1990! Best wishes.
Puzzled Nurse:
I work for a union hospital. Over the last year four experienced nurses left their old unit a Med/Surg Unit where they were required to work and take 10 patients, Two RNs assuming the cares and responsibility of 10 soles who require special cares needs based on the diagnosis. One nurse delievered meds all day long. The other one responsible for meeting the daily needs of their patients, answering call lights, monitoring vital signs, preparing them for pre and post op procedures, and handling one crisis after another, and lets not forget our 1:1 responsibility to ease their fears. Do you think that two nurses can effectively take good care of all ten patients, without breaks, working long hours, fatigue sets in without relief. These CEOs who sit @ their desks along with their labor specialist who feed the media with their lies need to become true patients to experience this. How do you think this impacts their trust in us when it takes > 30 minutes to answer a call light, deliver pain medicaton and etc. What about our patients as people who have specific needs, we are the professionals who may be able to reach them through out loving care and committent. I’m not mad @ your comment because you are intitled to them but until you experience what we have you’ll never understand why” we stand up for safe patient staffing”.
It’s disappointing to hear that after 13 long hours of negotiations nothing was gained for MNA nurses. I believe our MNA reps are being put through hell! Thanks to all of you who are working on our behalf!! I say lets go on strike July 5th!!! If the TCH are so broke they can pay $5000/wk. for scabs….let them bring it on!!! They can come for orientation over the 4th of July wknd.!!!!
LOL! I did my orientation at the last strike so I’ll be able to just come in and work on the 5th Ms Laurie. I actually come from a Magnet hospital so I will make sure I take exceptional care of your patients while you get the message across of your needs. You can go to this website to read on my facility.
http://www.aurorahealthcare.org/jobs/opportunities/nursing/magnet.aspx
I would have to say that we here in Wisconsin do not get paid as nearly as much money as you. Your base pay is 79K to our 48K. We are no longer matched with 401Ks. Our weekend, nights and ICU diffs were taken away. We float to other units to help and there is no extra pay. On call for the hospital..no extra money there either.
I agree with better ratios because these hospitals will never become Magnet with unsafe care and obviously unhappy staff.
You can call me a scab all you like, I’m just here to pick up since your needs are so above taking care of the patient. So stop being angry at us for coming in after you put up a “notice of abandonment.” Your beef is with the hospital, not us…we’re just trying to take care of the patient which you so called are fighting for.
To SCAB:
YOU are just a (small) part of the larger problem. You prolong the healing process by being a SCAB.
If you come from a Magnet hospital as you say~how is it you can just take a undetermined LOA???? Aren’t you abandoning your pt’s at home??
Guess what Super_RN (gag me), the hospital where I work and will strike at IS Magnet already. (Get informed). The hospital just loved us and couldn’t say enough about how fabulous we nurses were during that process. Where’s the love now ANW?? Our “base pay” is 79K? Sure it is… we are just rolling in the dough here. (Again, get informed). Sounds like your working conditions at your usual hospital are just peachy… why don’t you work to improve them instead of complain about them? Or did you try to do that and some scab nurses came in to undermine your efforts?
Thank you, MNA negotiating team. It is obvious that our employers pushing us to this strike. We worked hard for them and they gained huge profits, but they treat us as if we did something wrong. Is this what we deserve? Nurses we have to stand up together. We should show them who we are….. mighty nurses. Thanks again for MNA negotiating team for your plan to file a 10-days strike notice today. Good job! Let’s go for it.
This baffles me to no end, yet clearly sets the message that it’s all about the money at the corporate level.
Can someone explain the simplicity of the latest 24 hour strike. Let’s see, there were extra managers, resource personnel, additional Doctors, PCA’s and ancillary help, not to mention 2-3 pt per nurse ratios during the strike. Why so much help???
This could be interpreted in many ways, one: management doesn’t have a clue what we do, nor do they know how to do it, two: they were skeptical about the replacements they hired, three: the current staffing levels are in fact dangerous, or the establishment has excessive amounts of money to use, and I’m sure there are more. In any case it’s virtually impossible to talk out of both sides of your mouth, lie to cover a lie and not get caught. Thanks for the help Allina, for uncovering the truth about your mission, vision and values…
I’m sorry to “hear” the animosity towards those who will come to keep your patients safe…..and they will….because nursing should always be for the patients first. Since some of your arguments are for better patient care….be thankful for those who will come to a new place, work long hours, and keep your patients in your hospital.
Well excuse us if we don’t “thank you” for coming here and undermining our efforts to improve our ability to care for our patients on a daily basis and to advance our profession. Here’s the scenario that SHOULD play out, but won’t because of nurses like you: In the event that the corporations that own our hospitals refuse to negotiate in good faith, the nurses union puts them on notice that we will strike unless they get their act together and work with us to set a new contract. If they refuse, we call for a strike. At that point NO NURSES anywhere (that means YOU) agree to work during the strike because we all are united as nurses everywhere and recognize that this effort is being made to ultimately help patients and to advance our mutual profession. This forces the corporations to actually begin to bargain in good faith. See how that should work?? Unfortunately the process breaks down when nurses without integrity work as scabs. How much is your soul worth- $5200 a week?
Allina RN:
It’s good to see other MNA RNs sickened by the concept of SCABS. Especially after reading the in depth horror stories about what the real nurses found on their units the next day on June 11th. (The Board of Nursing will be doing follow ups on some of the SCABS R/T their performance and lack of.) I wrote this letter earlier on in the beginning and dedicated it to the SCABS. Some think it is too harsh, other RNs have said that it is not harsh enough. I don’t swear nor do I call names other than the title they have earned throughout the ages… here it is and it’s dedicated to the SCABS:
Letter to SCABS:
Your words are feeble attempts to justify your poor behavior. You are so self-absorbed that anything outside the realm of YOU and YOURS is blurred by your sense of self importance (or lack of it). You had poor upbringing – never learning the difference between right and wrong – at times you may glimpse the meaning or substance of integrity only to have it slip through your fingers like sand – unable to absorb its meaning into your heart because you heart has been so disfiqured and damaged. You are unable to sustain a functional lifestyle and prefer to maintain dysfunctional because that is what you were born and raised into and it is what is familiar and comfortable to you so you often find yourself gravitating towards ilk. You carry with you a sense of entitlement and low self esteem which is more than obvious to others. YOU are oblivious to your short comings and highly resent those that may correct you… often feeling persecuted and misunderstood and defiant and angry toward others for not recognizing your true brilliance. You lack moral integrity and do not play well with others. You are devoid of any inner beauty. You lack honesty and have the mind set of a thief just waiting for the right opportunity. You greedily will snatch at anything if you feel that it might in some way benefit you. You especially are attracted to bright and shiney things. Because others do not like you and are suspicious of you… you often build up defenses to protect what little and true honest feelings you may have because it may make you vulnerable. You are and can be offensive at times but you work hard to portray yourself as a real-live-human being and become easily defensive if needed to protect you self image. You would not think twice about stabbing someone – that you perceived (real or imaginary) as having wronged you in some small way – in the back. You would slap someone in the face but at the same time are a coward – you hurt others because you believe they will not stand up for themselves and fight back because you perceive them as weak – but you would run and hide if they did take a stand and face you and look into your eyes – you would divert your eyes and cover your face because you would not want them to see how weak you truly are. You would prostitute yourself if needed and without qualms “if the price was right”. Since you lack self-respect you fail to respect others. You prioritize your own self and needs over all others even if others may be more deserving. You are Number One in your small little world. You sit on a throne of self rightousness and falsly judge others. You are able to easity convince some people with your lies and deceit. You would gladly and willingly kick a dog or a person if they were down. You both admire and despise others for having attributes, characters and qualities that you lack. You place material worth over self worth. You are willing to sell your soul “for the right price…” and you have… many times. “One more time won’t hurt anything…” Because you are already absent from and sadly lacking any true and meaningful life.
(If you don’t like it… well, to be perfectly honest… I don’t give a rip) I will be standing in solidarity with thousands of MNA RNs walking the line for a purpose that you just don’t have the capacity to grasp or comprehend. If you don’t want to be challenged because you are a SCAB or SCAB collaborator or one of the many union busters sent to this site… then you shouldn’t come to this site looking for a debate. If you don’t have the gumption or the backbone for what MNA RNs stand for then the only choice that you have is go work non union and shut up already… stop your whining how the naughty MNA RNs are picking on you. You are on the MNA RNs ground here and we’re standing in solidarity!
Scabs are a necessary evil, kind of like a colonoscopy. What I don’t understand is why scabs give a hound’s hiney what I think of them. Truth is, they don’t. They’ll get their money and then they’ll move on . I am just tired of everyone telling me to play nicely with others. I’m especially tired of people suggesting that nurses should be nicer, more professional(, whatever) with the hospitals. The hospitals campaign as been brutal and ugly from the getgo. After months of hospital spin, I could puke. I’m angry about this and I have good reason to be.
to cj:
Me too.
Another interesting item…
US Nursing Corp./Fastaff Scab Nurses, Military Style The …
Highlight:
US Nursing Corp./Fastaff Scab Nurses, Military Style The …
Right click on it and go to Google.
It will bring you to the information.
Just a few comments to make. This IS a VERY sad day for all of us. I hope that anyone who was hoping that we would strike is satisfied with this result. I was not hoping for that. Second, leaving negative comments on sites like this just hurts us and makes us look bad…it doesn’t make us or any of this better. Lastly, I, too will be a patient soon and worry for my own safety. I worry more for my safety now with replacement RNs in place and all of us walking off the job. I was not worried before. I am having a baby the beginning of August and am constantly worried about how this will affect me, my baby and my life. I have several friends who also are due in the upcoming weeks and have encouraged who I can to deliver at a non-union hospital for their own safety. For those of you who aren’t concerned for your patients during this time, put yourselves in the shoes of the patients for just a moment. I have and will soon be, a patient and I KNOW I am scared. Having worked as a RN for 8 years, I have seen enough safety concerns, but also have seen so many improvements. I worry that we are going to be affecting our profession negatively through all of this and worry that the public will soon see us differently. In closing, this is a terribly sad day for us all and we should all be hoping for some resolution soon for our own well being and safety, as well as for those around us.
who pay you? Not the union. You seem to have no problem bad mouthing the hospitals but until you have been on the management/financial side of things maybe you should think about how your financial situation will be when you go out striking. Not only is this strike going to effect the nurses it will also effect other employees who will not have a job, possible including me. Thanks.
nurses r LAZY,,alldepending on NA>.. Wat they do??? beside giving meds?? can someone explain/…
Wow! Please tell me you don’t work at a hospital.
FYI:
Is anyone else aware that Tom Horner, candidate for Governor is one of the strong forces behind the hospitals PR firm, Himle and Horner. He severed all ties with his firm except for the hospital group. Mr. Horner is running as an Independent candidate. It would appear he is pro dollar, rather than pro patient. The hospitals are paying exorbinate amounts of money for the PR firms AKA Strike Busters. $700-$1,000 hour and more…
For more information to confirm just how far the TCH are going, please click the below site:
http://www.nobusters.org/
How many evil fingers of familiarity are in this strange brew in the pot and stirring? If I recall correctly that at the beginning of all these negotiations one of the hospital’s higher ups stated something to the effect: I would really like to honestly negotiate but there are higher and more powerful forces at work here that are greater than mine. Then all the hospitals got together as one force instead of individual hospital systems. Now we have politicians, political wanna bes and newspapers in the pockets of the Twin Cities Hospitals? There is a very large and powerful PR firm (with a strong tie to union busting) with an owner (who distanced himself due to conflict of interests – in other words he could be traced back to his family company) that is running in politics under Independent (independent what!). This is getting to be a very big puzzle and I think that the completed picture could be really ugly.
Partners in Crime!! Ever wonder why the StarTribune is so slanted against nurses? Well that just might be because they have a member on their Board of Directors WHO IS ALSO on the Board of Directors at Abbott! Conflict of interest? Yeah. I’d say so. Check out Farley. Our Board of Directors
http://www.startribunecompany.com
Michael T. Sweeney, of Minneapolis, became Chairman of the Board of Star Tribune Media Holdings, the holding company for the Minneapolis Star Tribune, in September 2009. He also remains a partner in Goldner Hawn Johnson & Morrison, Inc. in Minneapolis, which he joined in 2000. He served as that fi…
If you’re going to strike – then strike. None of this 1 and 10 day micky mouse stuff. Get some guts or go back to work and shut up.
Jake–FYI–The “10-day” is a 10-day notice to strike, NOT a 10-day strike. The way you mention it with the 1-day makes me assume you think it’s a 10-day strike???
To Jake:
And you say that I’m the one being naughty?
If the negoitiations do go your way and they have to hire agency nurses in to help with your nurse/pt ratio, you will have to work beside the same nurses that you are so hostile against and are calling scabs, grow up, nursing is suppose to be a caring profession, i for one wouldnt dare take an assignment to help with your nurse/ pt ratio, calm down and get some love and God about yourselves, you really give nurses a BAD name.
You’re a SCAB and SCABS are well… just that, SCABS! I didn’t think that SCABS could think let alone believe in anything. Imagine that! Small wonders just never cease to amaze me.
An RN is an RN- and I passed boards just like you did… after all! Small wonders never cease to amaze you, me either. Who would have thought that “caring nurses” would strike over things as petty as you are. If you only knew how good you guys actually had it! I challenge any of you to come work in other states that don’t have it as good as yours does. You’d see y0ur assignment & immediately hit the door running. SCABS believe that smalll wonders like your brain, should be examined
Yes Ms Scabbies Rn, we know how good we have it and that is why we are fighting to keep it. The employer are the ones who want to treat nurse like endentured servents. We do not want the staffing you are talking about and this why we are fighting like hell and are ready to strike if necassary. It is you who will prolong this fight by being a SCAB. It is your ignorance on this subject and your willingness to be a SCAB that could undermine our efforts. I wonder what your intentions really are. Maybe…just maybe…to create and cause divisions within our ranks. To stir the pot and create confusion. Maybe just to be an agitator. Or you are just trying to reconcile your feelings or reasons for being a scab. So please Ms Scabbies Rn become informed before you call our issues petty things and minimize our fight and contract. That would be a small wonder.
I don’t believe that all the expressed concern about public opinion is warranted. It appears that the public has a very short memory and has forgotten the attorney general’s investigations of the hospitals fraudulent billing and other shady business practices. Why else would anyone believe anything the hospitals state in the media? Oh, and by the way, how many millions did they pay in fines for their fraudulent business practices? Probably more than enough to fund the pension!!
I am so tired of people name calling and berating each other, are we not professionals?? Let’s all start acting like one. We need to stick together and remember that it is our patients we are ultimately doing this for. That said I have one comment for super rn who thinks my base pay is $79k. Where do you get your facts? I have been an RN for 20+ years working .8 and my base pay is not even that, so I suggest you check your facts before berating us for something that is not even true!!
If all non-contract nurses refused to cross the picket lines, hospitals would be forced to staff safely.
SCABS defy logic article:
http://www.nursingcenter.com/library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=482132
The argument that our patients will suffer if we walk off the job is a false assumption. Our patients will and have suffered because there were not enough of us on the shift to give them the care they are paying for and required. We all have our horror stories. There will always be SCABS, the mercenaries, just as there were carpetbaggers after the Civil War. They will eventually have there very own unique “comes around”. Wait for it. As for the media coverage, they are all being intimidated by their ruler’s political agendas. Otherwise they would be reporting the truth just like they detail a Congressman’s indiscretion or the BP oil spill. We are a force to be reckoned with.
Doctor: “I wouldn’t depend on the staffing in the hospitals tomorrow.”: http://wp.me/pMu8d-ct
4:54 PM Jun 9th via WordPress.com from West Seventh, St. Paul
As a proud member of Anoka Hennepin Education Minnesota, I would like to give my support to all of the nurses who voted in favor of the strike. The issue IS all about patient care versus hospital profits. Both of my aunts in Wisconsin are nurses and have been saying for YEARS that the patent to staff ratio has been much too high. They have seen patient care deteriotate in the past 35 years that they have been in the nursing field. Many needless mistakes and disservices to patients could have been avoided. Thank you for standing up for quality patient care and for protecting your profession.
Most of the writers here who have spoken out against the union are just trying to portray union members as uncaring and greedy. They forget that 50 years ago, many jobs in the US were unionized and provided decent wages and benefits (still do in most of Europe). Now that the anti-union folks’ pay base and benefits have been eroded, they lash out against the unions out of jealousy of what could have been had they had the guts the MN nurses do today. Hang in there, many people support your decision. In professions like education and nursing that are pedominantly female, we have to stay strong to protect our rights. Don’t settle for less than you are worth. You know that nursing is one of the noblest professions. Don’t let the anti unionists and SCABS pull you down to their level. I would be happy to walk the picket line with you.
I find it hard to believe that a nurse who works during a strike(scab)cares more about pts. than me. I think you care for the $$$. I am not going to picket for $$$.
For arguments sake say that staffing is ok right now, I’m suspicious of an organization that won’t accept staffing proposals. I think that means that things will look a lot different down the road. Wake up and smell the java.
Exactly Jean! Spot on!! That is the bigger picture. This is for the future. The hospitals want to remove ALL language regarding staffing so they can squeeze us down the line. We are being proactive about this and REFUSE to allow that to happen. It has already begun and needs to CEASE NOW!
I guess I will change my terminology and attitude towards scabs when they work for the very same pay we work for when crossing the picket line . I just don’t see altruism in mix with scabs.
If they are such Nightingales, then why don’t they work for free?
Did anyone ever stop and think just where the $ is going to come from for your higher than averages wages/pension and bonuses? Eventually, it will be passed onto the pt – hope you’re saving your nickles and dimes to pay your co payments when you become a pt. What goes around comes around.
Hey Fake RN did hear that Regions gave their RNs a 3% raise and also adjusted their payscale steps. Are Regions nurse greedy? Or did nurses at Regions receive the compensation they deserve?
If you think that healthcare costs are not going up, again- wake up and smell the java!! The crime is the bill will be higher and the patient will have LESS nursing care to boot!! Our pay has very little to do with an individual’s bill. The specialty equipment, the specialty MD’s, the beauracracy/management of the hopital including capital expenses add to the pt’s expense.
As non-nursing staff in the hospital I’d be interested to see how much more quickly call lights got answered if the internet was taken away. I know there are busy times and also a lot of charting (I have to do it for my position as well) But there are also many times I’ve been on the floor and seen people grouped together talking about the strike or their vacation or looking online at shoes(I wonder just how many hits the infamous clogs website gets per day, or as of recently this site) The one area I can see definetly staffing fully at all times is the ED because it can change SO rapidly, but everywhere else, yes flexability is needed. I understand that the days can be hectic around here but we all know that the census can be super high one day and half that two days later.
As a RN for over 40 years, both in the contract and not in the contract, I am very upset with the nurses that talk like we are bad people for wanting to keep what we worked hard to achieve over the past 25 years. The other piece that non-contract RN’s fail to realize is that their hospitals benefit from what we have work for in our past contracts and they will benefit from what we hopefully achieve with this contract. Non-contract hospitals have to meet contract salaries and benefits and sometimes surpass them to be able to hire and retain nurses. Do non-contract nurses honestly think that if we lose with this contract it won’t affect them. I know it will, it also is a bargaining tool when private offices and clinics want to hire good qualified nurses. What we hopefully accomplish with this contract will affect every nurse in this city and others.
As an administrator, I have had the unique position to be part of our negoitations. At the risk of being a whistle-blower, some things need to be said. If you think the hospitals put the patients first, you are wrong. The buck comes first. No one should be surprised; this is true of most businesses. Hospitals cannot meet what the nurses are proposing, as this will affect the hospital’s bottom-line. If revenues are reduced, that means bonuses and future pay increases will be reduced for hospital administration (That $750,000,000 profit from last year needs to grow by at least another 10% this year.) Besides the money issues, there are issues with maintaining the reputation of the hospitals. The hospitals and doctors that lead them cannot give into the insubordination of the subordinate nurses.
Whistle Blower,
It’s been abundantly clear through all this that the hospitals don’t put the patients first. So no, it’s not a “surprise” to us- we have been paying attention you know.
If the hospitals don’t think their reputations will suffer when patient care and safety diminishes due to continued inadequate staffing, then they are as short-sighted as I suspected.
Lastly, doctors are our colleagues. They do not “lead” us anywhere. And we nurses are “subordinate” to no one.
Unfortunately, It appears we may need to strike.
The Definition of a Scab
Scabs have been called many things by many people during the course of labor history but Jack London’s description of the scab, “written with barbed wire on sandpaper,” easily dwarfs all others.
“After God had finished the rattlesnake, the toad, the vampire, He had some awful substance left with which He made a scab.
A scab is a two-legged animal with a cork-screw soul, a water-logged brain, a combination backbone of jelly and glue. Where others have hearts, he carries a tumor of rotten principles.
When a scab comes down the street, men turn their backs and angels weep in heaven, and the Devil shuts the gates of Hell to keep him out.
No man has a right to scab so long as there is a pool of water to drown his carcass in, or a rope long enough to hang his body with. Judas Iscariot was a gentleman compared with a scab. For betraying his master, he had character enough to hang himself. A scab has not.
Esau sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. Judas Iscariot sold his Savior for thirty pieces of silver. Benedict Arnold sold his country for a promise of a commission in the British Army. The modern strikebreaker sells his birthright, his country, his wife, his children and his fellow men for an unfulfilled promise from his employer, trust or corporation.
Esau was a traitor to himself: Judas Iscariot was a traitor to his God; Benedict Arnold was a traitor to his country; a strikebreaker is a traitor to his God, his country, his wife, his family and his class.”
To Sue RN:
I repeated this a few times (hope that was OK) for the reading enjoyment of “others”. Thank you for posting Jack London’s The SCAB.
Solidarity!
“bargaining table again on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and every other day until a contract agreement can be reached. Instead, the Twin Cities Hospitals responded that the earliest they could meet would be sometime next week.” Just questioning this statement a little since it is the mediator that sets the date of meetings. So if nothing was negotiated what went on for 13 hours? I think there are some Good faith issues on both sides, threating a stike to the hospitals and the public doesn’t show good faith. Also why all the talk about “Scabs”? shouldn’t the focus be on patients and getting this resolved for the good of all.
Happy 4th of July, what a long weekend this will be!! FINALLY a real holiday!!
Ten years ago my father had a major heart attack. He was treated at the WFMC(world famous Mayo clinic, a non-union company) I worked at one of their hospitals when I first graduated from nursing school.
A member of our famly was with him all the time because it was a comfort to him and us and was just a good idea. When I talked to my brother about our current contract negotiations I was sad to voice my opinion that having someone with you (preferably a family member) in the hospital is no longer just a”good idea” it’s a necessity. He was stunned. The truth is it’s about SAFETY. And it is always about MONEY. The differences of opinion are about how and where you spend it.
I am very discouraged. The negativity and animosity I’m hearing dilutes and distracts from the real problems and issues we all face. No one wins in a strike. But to protect my patient’s safety I will.
We all know that healthcare is broken and has to make some changes. I’d like to believe we can keep our patients safe and work on making healthcare better.
We need to strike in order for us to keep the patient’s safe. There are many issues at stake here.
Please don’t plead ignorance… there is information everywhere as to what the issues are. Don’t whine and complain. You don’t have to insult our intelligence by pretending to be something when you are really a manager, collaborator, SCAB or whatever else it is that you pretend to be, or you just want to be nasty. Our focus is on important issues and some of those coming to this site are only trying to distract our attention or cause dissention.
The concern here is that the hospitals want to forever silence the voice of the nurses so that we would no longer be able to speak out and say: “This is wrong, this is not safe for our patients or for nurses!” The Big Business/Hospitals/CEOs (remember the CEOs-bankers of the housing crash, or the big oil company CEOs, or the CEOs that flew in on their private jets to ask for a bailout?) The hospitals only believe in money, extravagant additions-luxurious fountains-grand pianos-waterfalls-marble floors and walls-perks-kickbacks-their million dollar salaries and bonuses-political agendas, Board of Directors sitting on Hospital Board of Directors and Newspaper Board of Directors at the same time, Political campaign person and Owner of PR firm (dealings in union busting) that was also hired by Hospitals to represent them, and: “less nurses means more for us (mentality)… the patient’s don’t need nurses.” I have asked my patients what is the most important thing to them… not one of them said: “Oh, gee… I’d much rather look at a water fountain than compared to having a nurse that would be there for me, giving good patient care and keeping me safe.” I also highly recommend that patients have a family member or other advocate with them in the hospital for many reasons. I have had family members that were hospitalized or had surgery. I am sickened by how many mistakes (and a couple of almost sentinel events-near misses) – (directly related to short staffing) were averted because I spoke up for my loved one, (one happening to my Mother, Sister and Husband). But the hospitals still made their buck, covered their own butt and wanted to throw the nurse in the flames. More people need to stand up and speak out… the hospitals need to hear directly from everyone that is concerned about safe patient care and what that entails because it is so much more than what it sounds like, it is more than just a word or phrase. The hospitals need to stop lying and deceiving and diverting attention from what their true motives are. It has been nurses going to the capitals in order to petition for better health care, it is the nurses that are on the front lines, it is the nurses that are doing the fighting for what is safe (the hospitals have a completely different agenda and definition of what safe is). It is nurses that advocate for their patients, the nurses are at the bedside not the hospital CEOs or the (so far removed from the bedside-haven’t touched a patient and don’t want to) managers. Enough is enough already!
And the issue of SCABS… they have been a blight even before Jack London (1876-1916) started writing about them. He wrote an excellent description of them, what they were and how they are just plain counter productive to anything good (one nurse wrote that SCABS were a necessary evil). I would refuse to have a SCAB nurse touch a family member or friend of mine. I have nothing good to say about them. The first thing out of their mouths is: “We’re doing this becasue we care about the patients… because you abandoned your posts.”(did you hear what they paid them for one day?) They say they care about the patients! That is right out of SCABS 101 and it’s B.S. SCABS are in it for the money straight up. Many of the SCABS forgot to even admit patients, med errors, no documentation, wrong meds given, incident reports had to be filled out after they left, the list goes on and on… The hospitals will be paying them over $5,000 a week plus luxury hotel accomodations, food, transportation, airfare, and give them a Minnesota Nurses License (which in some cases have been fraudulent and their RNs qualifications questionable) (many articles on the net about them), the hospital had to overstaff when the SCABS were here. When they come to the MNA RNs homepage they shouldn’t whine because they “get picked” on.
They’re SCABS.
I certainly do not want to strike… I hope between now and July 6th there will be “productive meetings” and hopefully a reasonable and fair outcome can be achieved. If not… well, the vote was 87% of MNA RNs are ready. We’ve already talked the talk, now we’re ready to walk the walk!
TO – MNA RN, I really hope that you are never my nurse or any member of my families nurse. Your mouth and attitude are way beyond belief. As the old saying goes “I’m surprised you can eat with all that filth and evil in your mouth”.
I agree, she is a hot stinky mess, she is very dangerous, she needs to have her nursing license revoked.
Hey Fake RN and Ms Scabbie why don’t you start a scab blog. You are welcome is wearing thin. We have tolerated you your bullcrap for way to long now. You come hear to berate and minimize the fight we are in. You have no interest to further our cause and protect our contract. You are managements minions and your only purpose is to pervert our cause. You are also throwing out names like greedy, scary or hot stinky mess. You say MNA RN is scary look in the mirror. May I remind you are on the MNA blog site. SO if you do not like something that is posted here by MNA nurses then feel free to log off. You have the right not to be offended.
Eric, you are correct, as this is an MNA blog. So are you then implying that MNA’s official stance is that hate and nastiness are acceptable as long it helps to obtain the union’s end objective? If your tone represents MNA, then “We care for you” is nothing more than a gimic and one gigantic lie. So many members of the general public are questioning whether MNA’s motives are truly about the patients, or instead about $’s and power, and the attitude put forth by you and a small handful (yes, I believe the minority) of members aren’t exactly helping MNA’s reputation. My opinion is that true NURSES are great and caring people…you may be licensed as a nurse, but it sure looks like you picked the wrong profession, as you’d be better fit to sell snake oil.
Hey Milktoast, just because we fight with veracity does not mean we do not care. Do expect nurses to be hand maidens just standing around all passive and subordinate with nothing to say about how the employer is willing and ready to gut our contract and destroy our profession. No we will not! If someone speaks up and uses a tone or language that you do not approve does not make them less caring. In fact, I bet these same people who are passionate about this contract dispute and strike are just as passionate about their patients. I want a nurse who will fight and advocate for me if I was a patient. To fight is to care. Again if cannot stand the heat get out of the kitchen. We have fight to win with or without you.
Oh by the way what is your profession? Are a floor nurse or one of managements minions who have been hired to spike the blog with with disinformation and to discredit the union and its memebers? I think I already know.
To Jake:
SCABS defy logic article:
http://www.nursingcenter.com/library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=482132
If the article doesn’t show up just click first yellow button…
Enjoy!
To Jake:
I know this just might be too naughty of an article for your eyes to bear.
Lets all take a deep breath and prepare for what is to come. Especially you, mna RN, you sound as if you may stroke out, then you’d be at the mercy of all those “scabs”, as you so lovingly refer to them. Wouldn’t that be ironic. We will get through this and be all the stronger for it, even if we don’t get everything we are asking for.
We do no expect to get everything we ask for and we have never stated that we wanted 100% of our proposals in the new contract. But would certianly like to be able to have a conversation that is productive and does not sound like a parent telling their child ” because I said so.” We would like to know why they find it so important to remove langauge that has been agreed upon and effective for bothsides for many decades. Allina has proposed to remove language that makes a nurses schedule permanent after it is posted. Allina has proposed partial shift cancelations that do count as MLOA. This means they could send you home after a couple hours at work. They also want the ability change your hours meaning at anytime. If you work 7-3 they could ask to come in at 0900, 1200, or change your hours completely and require you to come into work from 3-11pm. They want the ability to change your work agreement anytime they want but you could only do so twice a year. Allina wants the ability to change grids or matrixs twice a year or as needed. This means our staffing ratios and acuity language is not safe. They want to change the your insurance poilcy at any point within the duration of the contract if they think you are using to much healthcare. Right now our insurance is protected from drastic increases with in the duration of the contract. These are the examples of what they want to do to nursing. MNA RN and others have the right to be upset with the employer and scabs. We have stated over and over again we will move off any of our language, but we also need better explinations from the employer before we agree to any theses drastic concessions. Can you understand this Heidi, Tom and Jake? I have been to these negatiations and I have an understanding of what we are up against.
Eric speaks the truth. The hospitals want to gut the contract and by gut I mean take out original language and replace it with nebulous language that can be interpreted ANY way. That is the bald faced truth here. They are trying to break our solidarity and they are only causing us to be more solidified. mnaRN has every right to be angry. What the “replacements” don’t seem to get is this is a fight across the nation to protect our patients. By scabbing, they are defeating themselves and in their respective hospitals. (those that have a job, that is.) Obama care cannot be funded on the backs of nurses. People, wake up and smell the coffee. Yes we have nice benefits here in Minnesota, why BECAUSE OF THE MNA! Not because someone went to the CEO and said “more porridge please…” If employers treated their employees fairly, then a union would not be needed. But historically, nurses have been abused all over the world. Frankly, I tire of the “replacement” nurses, and union haters commenting on our blog page. Stay home and hope we do well for the good of nursing. When we get what we want, Minnesota will be needing more nurses, and you can quit your understaffed hospitals and come to work for the hospitals here. But you better hurry, because we have some fine new grads that are hungry.
Eric I believe that some concessions on scheduling have been made in the area of when a schedule can and can’t be changed. My understanding is that once a schedule has been posted, it cannot be changed. I understand that changes to our exsisting contract stink, but honestly, is there some “contract” rule that old language must never be changed? I know we don’t want to take steps backwards, but I keep hearing from RNs’ how unjust it is to have things changed on us, things/language that has been in the contract for decades. Isn’t the whole point of contract negotiations/renewal just that? To negotiate and dare I say, even “tweak” exsisting language? We do not want to go back to the days of nurses’ as pill-pushers only, but this is a different time now. Doctors’, most of them, have a respect for us that never exsisted 30-40 years ago. We are better educated and well respected. Berating administration and name calling lessens us as professionals. Please, lets work on this contract to find middle ground. Keeping what we have is one thing, asking for more is another. And we have asked for more, increases in pay and pension. It’s a game we play to end up where we want, but it may backfire on us. I’m willing to strike. But I’m not willing to loose my career and position. Let’s get this done.
Allina has changed the language and have deleted the portion in their proposals that makes the schedule permanent. Current language states that before an effected Rns schedule can be changed that must get apporval prior to making this change. The lawyers and employer in their proposal have removed this language. Therefore it makes it possible for them to change your schedule any dang time they want. Also in order to negotiate they must be willing to talk and they have not bee. Basically we have rejected their proposals twice. They need to come to the table and start talking and modifying their language. I will say it again. It difficult to neogatiate this contract with ourself. We need the employer to come to the table a talk honestly and openly about what they really need. Otherwise this will not get done. Asking for something is not wrong. It is how change is made. We feel their is a need to introduced language into the contract that will protect nurses and patients. Again the employer needs to open up and talk. We have sat at various hotels waiting for discussions to happen. They need to happen now.
HeidiRN – I think you are the NURSE I want!!! Thank you for your calming note!!!!!
From Lippicott’s Nursing Center.com
Strikebreakers/SCABS defy logic:
Strikebreakers, more commonly known as “scabs,” enable employers to pursue this strategy and, in the process, rob their fellow nurses employed at the facility of the means to improve patient care and working conditions. Strikebreakers themselves work dangerously excessive hours over extended periods of time, sometimes in unfamiliar roles. As transients, they have no relationship with the patients or familiarity with the facility. Thus the quality and safety of the care they deliver are questionable at best. In fact, a recent article in The American Nurse (November-December 2000) reported that two strikebreaking nurses, brought in for a strike at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts, last spring, left a surgical patient unattended in the postoperative recovery room and another gave the wrong baby to a mother for nursing.
Yes, MNA RN hope none of your family members or friends get ill July 6th and after, (I refuse to use the S- word, I think the name calling is degrading to the nursing profession), But you will most likely have a replacement nurse care for them, if a contract is not agreed on. Otherwise the strike voted for is certainly what you will get. Please don’t start telling me how the TCH won’t talk or bend. It needs to go both ways.
To Tom:
First of all… there is no way that I would ever allow a SCAB nurse to touch a family member or friend, they would instead go to a hospital that didn’t have unfair labor practice (ULPs) filed against them. HCMC is one such hospital that is not in labor disputes and it is a very good hospital.
Second… I would never even think of crossing a picket line… be it mine or someone elses! I respect picket lines and those that are walking them!
And… as for… “using the S- word”… I call ’em as I see ’em. If it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, and if it looks like a duck…
Guess What?!
It’s probably a DUCK!
And… a SCAB, is a SCAB, is a SCAB… and there is nothing good about it. I certainly am not going to feign polite or politically correct at this point!
If you don’t like it… well, too bad. Get a life, get a clue or something… anything… just go to a different site and infect someone else with your B.S.
SOLIDARITY!
To MNA RN…wow, what an angry life you lead. Bitter, party of one, your table is ready. I would be horrified to come across you as a nurse. Have you sought professional help for your anger problem?
From Lippincott’s Nursing Center.com
THE PRICE OF SCABBING
Strikebreakers, like most hirelings, have no commitment to the patients at the struck facility or to the wider community it serves. “They are in it simply for the money,” asserts Julie Semente, RN, a New York State Nurses Association member and an outspoken critic.
Many strikebreakers rationalize that they are stepping in to provide adequate staffing when others have walked off the job. “This is a peculiar twist of logic, since crossing the picket line condones and perpetuates the employer’s decision to ignore the unsafe staffing levels and unacceptable working standards that caused the strike in the first place,” says Gwen Johnson, RN, chair of the economic and general welfare cabinet at the District of Columbia Nurses Association (DCNA) and a staff nurse at Washington Hospital Center. “In the end, strikebreakers prolong the conflict and jeopardize the efforts of their nurse colleagues to bring about positive change.”
The argument that “somebody has to take care of the patients” is also faulty: federal law requires nurses to give a 10-day notice of intent to strike. The notice is specifically designed to give the facility time to stop admitting patients, transfer existing patients to other facilities, and reduce medical procedures that require nurse-intensive labor. Management often responds to the notice by continuing to admit new patients and proceed with “normal” operations. This inevitably strains the system and prompts the call for strikebreakers.
For the article in its entirety go to:
SCABS defy logic article:
http://www.nursingcenter.com/library/JournalArticle.asp?Article_ID=482132
This information is from Lippincott’s Nursing Cener.com
Jake, Tom, Puzzled Nurse, Union- Busting minions, and all the Scabs…
“Be gone- You have no power here!”
To Jake, Heidi, and Tom:
A scab is a scab is a SCAB!! — A Benedict Arnold who betrays their own profession for personal gain. They make the strike longer and harder and more expensive for everyone involved. Scabs shipped in from all over the country are one thing – but how do you expect people to feel about their own coworkers who choose to stab them in the back?!? Seriously – don’t cross our picket lines when we are in the fight of our lives for our profession and yours, for our rights as nurses and yours, and then expect us to thank you for taking care of the patients in our absence. Grow Up!! Your choice – your consequences.
Rn4ptcare, I wish everyrhing were as cut and dry. I will walk out on the 6th, like other RNs, but I will not judge my co-workers/ replacement nurses. The healthcare system is broken. No hospital should be profitting on healthcare. Grow up too. Lashing out at the rest of us only makes you look bad.
I still work on-call and hear all the comments of nurses that work hard and long and with no breaks to take care of their pts.One nurse in particular is an excellent nurse who goes beyond her scope of ‘good nursing care’ and is stressed to the max by the pt. load her supervisor thinks she can handle. I was shocked, she’s not a complainer, just wants to be a nurse that does right by her pts. Now the TCH are just going to try to break the Union. ( That’s their main focus) So any negotiating is a joke in their eyes and they’re just very smug bec. they have this firm that can break unions. It will get rougher and tougher.How come the hospitals have to pay so much to scab nurses ? Would they work for our pay ? I don’t think so ! So , so much for their doing this for the patient’s sake. Too bad some DRs. don’t speak up. That would be the day ! They expect their pt.’s to be well taken care of and see how nurses are overworked and under stress ! I guess their speaking up would be unprofessional…What happened to the hospitals wanting Magnet Status.. Again the nurses were so unsatisified with working conditions that the hospital dropped the whole idea. Rochester has that status and the nurses their seem very content. Several friends have gone there for major surgery and have received excellent care. Let’s get Magnet Status going here again. Maybe then the management would see how far they have to go to improve relations. Now the ceo’s don’t have to fight for their salaries or their work load… I’d be happy with a couple million too. Hard to relate to the nurses in the trenches with that coin in your pocket! Hope there aren’t any law suits over poor pt. care while the scabs are taking care of the ‘ assembly line’. Remember we’re just like Toyota. The hosp. spent millions to send us over to study their assembly line…Mmmm Safety came up later with big problems. NO BRAKES! Not coffee breaks, Brakes that if they don’t work kill people. Enough, I’m tired of every one being politically correct and spinning the same old S… Wake up everyone. I’m retired. I’ll need good nursing care from a nurse who cares!!
To MNA RN I think you have the wrong impression of me – I am a MNA member and work at one of the striking hosps. Also I am one of the nurses that voted NOT to strike both times – as did most of my co-workers. I applaud the replacement nurses!!!!! and only wish I could help orient them to my unit so it would be easier and less stressful for them to care for my pts and for themselves while they are away from their families and friends. You say they are greedy? Well, what are you striking for if it isn’t greed? By the way, I think MNA is probably ashamed of you by now too.
To Jake:
No… I think that I have exactly the right impression of you! You are a SCAB and SCAB collaborator. And… many of my MNA RN brothers and sisters have exactly the same impression of who and what you are too… the only one you are really fooling is yourself. If you don’t like union… then go work non-union and stop with your ridiculous defenses and incessant chatter and whining. If you don’t want to be MNA RN then please go and be a RN somewhere else… like off this MNA RN home page. Go work non-union or go SCAB somewhere else. Maybe you should go start a SCAB Union but, would that be an oxy-moron or just a plain moron!
…………………………………………………………………
US Nursing Corp./Fastaff Scab Nurses, Military Style The …
Type this in google, it’s the first article on the list… wow! PLEASE READ this article, it tells you all about you know who. (they get so darn snarkey and sensitive when you call them SCABS)…
…………………………………………………………………
To Jake:
You are sooooooooooooooooooooo full of:
_ _ _ _! (yourself) Try really- really hard to remember………………… 87% of MNA RNs voted the same way.
You say: “as did most of my coworkers… (voted not to strike…)” WHAT are you talking about!
You are not an RN.
You are right out of the manual… You are a fear monger.
No, MNA RNs will not submit. No, MNA RNs will not be subordinate to what is wrong. Do you think that MNA RNs are going to fall for your lies and tactics? I will never again look at the TCHs with the same eyes as I used to… and if the public is informed… they will question you also. People will be asking questions for a long time… “Is this hospital safe?” MNA RNs are fighting to ensure that it will be!
Jake-
I don’t believe you are a nurse. You are posting here solely to cause dissension. It’s straight out of Union Busting 101. I’m calling you out.
Allina rn, I think union members are breaking the union up on their own. I’m a relatively new RN, 3 years, but this has been a very eye opening experience. So many of you spund very paranoid, that’s sad.
Heidi,
If you are indeed a relatively new RN then this must be eye-opening for you. It might be difficult to believe that a hospital would put anything but the patients first. But the reality is that they do- profits. Paranoid? Hardly. Please inform yourself on Union Busting tactics- check out:
http://www.laborunionresources.org/UNIONBUSTING.html
You will see that many, many of the tactics described there have been recently employed by the hospitals… the “we’re a family” letters, the one-on-one chats with management, the small group “20 or less please” info meetings some of the hospitals had recently, etc. It is part of their campaign to cause dissension among our union and to weaken it for their purposes. Please don’t be naive.
MNA RN… You can be my nurse ANY time. We think alike!
Real MNA Nurses Rule…
Rusty Shackelford, aka
Dale Gribble
Thank you Rusty! Thank you Eric (the Eric with a “c” not a “k”!) Thank you MNA RNs and mediators!
It’s nice to be appreciated! I’ve been working very hard on this page and it’s really nice to have support! This should be the MNA RNs homepage not a feeding frenzy for the SCABS, collaborators, managers, CEOs, TCH peepers, strikebusters…
Rock on MNA RN!!
I know you are a real nurse, are informed, and also see these Union Busting tactics for what they are. We will keep calling them out on it and name it all for what it is: fear-mongering, attempts at dissension, attempts to create doubts and fear, and attempts at spreading LIES.
HAHAHAHAHA
I wouldn’t be laughing if I had a name as sorry as yours…
Retired R.N- The TCH are not trying to break the union, they are willing to work with the union (I am not a plant, not management, I am a nurse) The union is going to break it self. It is dividing it’s own members.
Hogwash Tom. The union is stronger than ever. Any chance you might be able to cite what it is that you see as a dividing factor within the union? Everyone I know is planning on walking come July 6, are you?
Tom
Our union is not breaking itself. You are here for fear-mongering purposes. We see through you. We are strong. We are united. EVERY nurse I know is RESOLVED to strike if the TCHs force us to.
Amen Tom, I too am a union nurse, and union members like mnarn and rn4ptcare are whose dividing us. MANY nurses I work with didn’t vote to strike or just didn’t vote because of all this craziness. Like it or not MNA, we don’t all think the same.
HeidiRN:
FYI:
Heidi (so sorry) was just discovered (called out) on Facebook (where she has also been posting) AKA Lori S. who is actually a supervisor at Park Nicollet Urgent Care/Carlson Parkway (?!). Just thought that might shed a little bit of light before she tries to squeeze anymore tears out of anyone and “encourages” and justifies crossing at “stop signs”. Sure makes me want to give the wolf a nice big warm and fuzzy hug… talk about the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing. I post this for the purpose of reality. These are some of the people that we are dealing with here and it is straight out of Union Busting 101. Please be aware. Is it wrong? Is it not being positive? Is this politically correct talk or behavior? Is this supportive? Is this nice or kind? Does it make one scratch their head and ask: “What the…?”
I think that shows that Heidi is a liar and who knows what else… imposter and fake. She is not a union nurse she is a paid Union Buster. It is her trying to divide. Heidi/Lori S./Supervisor (whatever you are)… Shame on you. You prey on people’s emotions and compassion.
MNA RN, wow, did Fred and Thelma help you crack the case? I’m actually considering calling MNA on you. You are abusive, disrespectful, ignorant and mean. Whats you FTE? Maybe you need to work more and blog less. As I said before, I’ve used my REAL name, Heidi, I don’t hide behind mna.
My proof is a blog created by nurses against the strike and turning in the resignations to MNA many from all 14 hospitals. The blog is well visited, I personally haven’t kept track of the numbers but there are people stating they will exercise their right to cross. Yes it is a right. MNA RNI also have a question fro MNA from something I saw on the Star Tribune that maybe one of the reps could answer for me, When you split from ANA was it true you did not get the required vote from the members you represent to the join NNU?
Hey Tom your proof is a blog that is supposedly nurses against the strike and the strib whose journalistic prowess is to quote nurses from facebook ,and whose articles have seemed rather anti-union. That research seems fair and balanced. Do you work for Fox News?
I work for a hospital Eric. The blog was created by concerned MNA nurses, they are not anti-union just concerned about what is happened, just like a lot of us. They want to be able to talk about it with out being called names, blamed. The union is supposed to listen to their members, but somewhere along the way MNA forgot that, so they found their own way to express their concerns just as you do here. Yet they speak in a respectful, safe manner to each other and others that choose to visit the site (that sounds like nurses to me). Don’t start telling me about fair and balanced.
I am going to tell you that you are not fair and balanced because you only seem to pull info from the scab site or strib that suites your needs or opinions. Your only purpose to on this site is to help the employer to bust our union and destroy our profession. That blog I am sure was created by nurses, yea right! You are not fair balanced in your opinion and are you just here to harsass us. If you need love go back to the scab blog and get a group hug from them. We have a fight to win and we will do it with you or without you. So join up or step aside.
Tom, It was not “created by nurses” and you know it. It was created by “drrichmn” the nurse and union basher 24/7 on Strib. Most of the posts are by “wildfox” another 24/7 Strib nurse basher who also IS NOT A NURSE and has said so. The same Strib bloggers who drown the comment sections are the ones posting under different names on your “blog”. Most are NOT EVEN nurses, but just angry support staff who don’t want a strike. You have a handful of local scabs, out of town scabs, lots of non RN union haters, lots of non nursing support staff, lots and lots of management, and lots of who-knows-what pretending to be nurses. C’mon, now really. You all are getting very transparent.
This conversation has gotten completely out of hand and ridiculous. For those of you who are being tasteful about sharing your opinion, I applaud you. For the rest of you who are just on here to bad mouth other writers, I am ashamed to be working in the same profession as you. I am unsubscribing to this page right now.
To be honest, if I were sick and helpless in bed, MNA Nurse is EXACTLY who I would want to take care of me. If I were puking blood, my hemoglobin was 6.1, and my MD was not responding, I want MNA Nurse to be there. She would get the MD to respond, even if it took yelling and threatening to call in the medical director, I have no doubt I would get the care I needed. You can keep your mealy mouthed, timid, polite, weak minded, enabling, co-dependant and passive ineffective nurses. If I were crashing, I would want, and expect my nurse to be MNA Nurse, for me. As she is for all patients. You go girl.
Beatrix kiddo, it is possibe to be a good nurse and advocate strongly for your patient without being a bullying, loud-mouth, I do it every time I work. Don’t confuse thug behavior with strength.
To Heidi:
Go back to your real home page blog Heidi. At least there they might appreciate your comments more than they are appreciated on the MNA RN homepage. Here we don’t exactly view a SCAB in favorable light. You sound like an endless drone of nonsensical chatter. If you are so proud of yourself, don’t disprespect yourself or other RNs by dishonoring our picket line… our picket line or anyone elses for that matter. That line is there for a reason… the people that walk that picket line do it because it means something that you can’t wrap your brain around. You are just not willing to walk it because you don’t have a clue what it is to fight for something you believe in. You never lived and learned what it means to fight for something bigger than yourself because, you and your material life are the only things that matter. You insist on coming to MNA RN home page trying to excuse your bad behavior, trying to justify being a SCAB… If you hate unions so much then there is a simple solution… you are free to go work non-union. But do you? Noooooooooooooooooo… you would rather whine and jump on the MNA RNs that are willing to fight and make sacrifices for something bigger and more important than themselves… The safety of our patients now and future patients – and the continued advancement of nursing for now and the future. And stop with the passive whinning already. And stop insulting our intelligence with: “Oh, I’m doing it for my patients – unlike you…” That is out of the book of SCABS (SCABS 101). It’s the first thing out of their mouths (and yours). How short sighted are you? If you have no backbone when the going gets rough then pick up-pack up and go work non-union if you think it is such a wonderful thing. Stop whimpering… it serves absolutely no purpose what-so-ever. If you’re so proud to do the SCAB thing then at least pretend like you are proud to be one and that you have no qualms about stabbing your fellow RNs in the back. You shouldn’t have to keep coming to the MNA RN home page looking for positives about SCABS… Hell no, you certainly aren’t going to get it from any of the MNA RNs that I know. The MNA RNs that I know have integrity and character. Something that you obviously do not comprehend. When those qualities were being awarded you were standing behind a door hiding and shaking instead of actively earining them. You could go to MNA Facebook… I hear that they are trying to be nicer to the SCABs, SCAB collaborators, TCH peepers and union busters. You might be able to wrestle up some sympathy there. TCH kicked the hornet’s nest and I’m just one of the angry hornets. If I’m too harsh… I’m not too sorry!
If you are so weak/meek, mild and passive what makes you even think that you are an advocate for anything other than yourself! You don’t have a clue as to how to fight for what you believe in because you had everything handed to you and you don’t understand the concept of taking a stand to fight… well, that’s on you. It really sounds like you are in a bad way… On July 6th (if needed) I know where my MNA RN brothers and sisters will be. In fact, you’re invited!
SOLIDARITY!
Mna RN, wow, what is this blog I should go back too? Because if there is one with actual dialogue and not just propaganda and rhetorric I’d like to see it. How can I be a scab, no strike yet? And most important, do us all a favor and admit, this strike is about $$$$$ and benefits first, patients’ second. This is what it has been about since the “protect our pension” buttons came out, that was the first thing the union came out with this winter to get us cired up. I knew nothing of unions when I came to work as an RN, and now unfortunately. I’m feeling quite sick about this all. If me questioning BOTH sides and not following the union like a lamb to slaughter, makes me a “scab” to use the union term. Then call all the names you like. Scientifically speaking, think about what a scab actually does. It stops the bleeding. Ironic, huh?
NO Heidi it is about protecting our contract that has protected nurses and patients for the 30-40 years. Our pension protects nurses so they will be able to retire with some dignity. We all know that Wall Street does not care about the average persons retirement just their lavish life style. That is a benefit that has been paid for by previous nurses that given up raises and have taken less money so they could have a little piece of something when they leave this profession. Also the employer has the option to pay a low, medium or high payment into the pension fund. They chose to pay the least amount possible. So when when things went belly up with the stock market they got caught with their pants down. Now they want us to act as thier bailout plan. If they would have paid just a little bit more into the pension they would have been just fine. Also they set up the payment for this year to be a balloon payment so they sould use this large payment figure to claim we nurses are just expensive. We need to protect our own because the employer has no interest in their employes. Do you get that Heidi?
Finally this is about patient care Heidi. We floor nurse are sick and tired of having to beg and for help when we need it. We are sick and tired of having to put out fires that employer has created with their maniacal need to staff just according to grid and discounting are needs to have some flexbility when it come to criticaly acute situations, and having to do without because a manager wants a bonus for keeping their floor staffed just by grid. Safe patient care and a larger bonus …mmmm…Doesn’t that sound like a conflict of interest? Sure does to me. So Heidi if you are a floor nurse? I would think you could understand the ethical problems with our current staffing model. But I do not believe you are a floor nurse and are just another troll here to cause disruption.
Heidi Hoo:
I think you are the thug. A company thug. I think you are the disrespectful one. You come into our living room, flop down on the couch and then refuse to leave. How rude is that! And then you go hide in the bushes and peek through our windows. And, by the way, SCABS actually prolong the healing process… that’s why we debride them. SCABS also get “picked”. SCABS are nothing more than dried pus. (Scientifically speaking?) You know how to do that?) Wow! I just throught you were here to quack like a duck…
Eric, mna rn, I am a floor nurse, only a floor nurse. Med surg, to be exact. Eric, I do understand about the staffing piece, not enough RNs, or aides, high acuity. I hate the grid. THIS is why I voted to strike, and only this reason. Retiring with dignity is partially my responsibility, I have never accepted this arguement for the pension piece. Before you jump down my throat, I am not independantly wealthy, I just think this is an area we could compromise. Please stop calling me a thug, mna rn, I am not. Again, another union nurse with a different opinion. Last time I checked, this was still allowed.
Ok, you know by now that I voted not to strike for my own reasons – as did approx 14%. I work psych and that is a whole other ball game than med, surg, ICU, ER etc. I am happy with what I have at work and I’m being “forced” (not the best word, I know) not to work and get a paycheck. I don’t have any intention to cross the picket line and will do the walking BUT I’m scared of what’s going to happen to some of us financially – I have two young kids and my husband’s paycheck is not enough. Unfortunately this is not the exception. Unless you’re independently wealthy it has to be scary for you too. I know there are resources out there, but for 12,000 nurses??? It’s a little early, but how do you tell your 8 year old that now we can’t afford to send him to camp – it’s a heart breaker! Really, I’m not whinning – I’m very concerned what will happen to my family if the strike continues on and on. What are the rest of you doing?
OK Jake (still don’t think you’re a real nurse) now you’ve moved on to the Union Busting 101 tactic of fear: “Aren’t we all scared? What are we all going to do??” If you truly need help figuring out your finances during a strike, go to the main MNA page and check out ALL the info that’s posted. This is not the appropriate page… but I think you know that already.
Jake – this is very hard and very scarey- NONE of us want to strike. The hospitals are out to bust the union – try for just a minute to imagine nursing in the Twin Cities without MNA. Senority would be meaningless. They could do whatever they wanted with your schedule, including mandatory on call . You would never be able to use your judgement about whether or not to accept an admit or transfer. Your health insurance benefits would become VERY expensive — and on, and on….. It wouldn’t be any better at a nonunion hospital because MNA floats all their boats a little higher just by competition in this market.
Sometimes I think that some nurses just have no idea what we stand to loose here. MNA and our contract have protected us so well and for so long that people don’t realize how bad it will be if we allow corporate greed to bust our union. Talk to a nurse from Texas or Arizona. Yes, we have it good here — should we lay down and give it up, or should we stand strong for our patients and the future of our profession. Very easy question for me – and for most of my fellow nurses.
Rn4ptcare, I know we younger /newer don’t know what nursing was like years ago, and I have spoke with non-union nurses and they do have horror stories. You are right, I am grateful for our contracts, I’m just trying to keep perspective and not play in to all this disrespectful crap that goes on, here and in the hospitals. The only way the union will break apart is if the members divide themselves. Right now, some of us feel ignored and insulted by the name-calling and behavior on this blog. The union should have room for different opinions.
Heidi,
Our ONLY weapon in this fight is our unity and our solidarity. The time for different opinions was way back in January and February when MNA was having meetings and surveys asking us what our issues were and preparing for the battle that they saw coming. The hospitals have been planning their union busting tactics for many, many months.
If you are a newer, younger nurse I would like to appologize for any “disrespectful crap” that I personally have posted here. Someday, when you are a veteran of the profession, you will look back on the history we are making and hopefully be proud of your part. I know I will.
Rn4ptcare, thanks for the olive branch. It means alot. 🙂
I’m going to get a job… any job. I’ll work non-union, I will work for less, I will spend less, I will live within my means, I will live, I will learn, I will be OK. I will say my prayers, I will ask for help when I need it. I will say please and thank you because I am grateful for everything I have and for the people in my life. I will go to church or where ever else I can find strength and encouragement, I will be healthy and have a sound mind and intact soul. I will do all this and more… and when it is all said and done… I will have an even deeper understanding of why I fight for what I believe in. I will appreciate what I have even more. I will know why I have to fight hard sometimes. I trust in my family and friends, I trust myself. I trust in knowing that no matter what, if I am true to myself… all the other pieces of life fall into the right places. I have learned that to against my nature (contradict) only means turmoil. I much prefer peace in my life but, if I need to fight for right… I will. And after awhile I don’t even have to wonder if I’m doing the right thing… I know it deep in my soul. My family looks at me and smiles without reason because they have told me that they are proud of me and what I stand for. I have people tell me how much they appreciate me and their world is a better place because I’m there. And so… I will fight because I know what I am fighting for. I fight for right!
very nice, mna rn. very nice. thank you, thank you, thank you. much appreciated. well said, and deeply felt.
Jake RN, I think we’re on our own. But I take comfort in the fact that I’m not alone. I too am scared, I have 4 children and worry about making ends meet during the strike. Hang in there, they can’t/aren’t all “mna” Rns’. I am a half-full person, I have faith that common sense and fairness will win. Good luck to you.
Heidi them admit your scared and come and ask for help, but quit trying to justify scabs and their behavior. You will not get many favorable responces. These scabs will only prolong this contract dispute.
I have many nurses come to me and say I would forgo a large raise of any raise in order to get language that would protect patients and nurses. I hate the grids too. I also find it maddening that during H1N1 a certain employer ran out of N95 masks and we told to recycle them or go room to room with a used mask. Then we find out that this certain employer had a large stash in their outer region hospitals and clinics that were not being used! When this certian employer was confronted about this they stated that they were being saved for an emergancy. The emergancy was right now. Patients and nurses were being exposed and we needed protection now and this employer was hiding these masks for what purpose we do not know? We need to make sure that we can get language that forces the employer to act responsibly. That is about safe patient care.
I agree this fight has not been pretty, but what fight is? This is pretty polarizing event that is occuring right now, and they are going to be heated comments. This sight has been plagued with inflitrators whose only purpose is to cause disruption and we are in the fight of our lives right now and tensions will be high. People have become a little leary of what the intentions of some these comments mean and are they trying to assist the employer with breaking our union.
Maybe if you were to say -I am scared and I have four kids and I am unsure what to do in this time of trouble. I do not understand the pension or what the what the purpose of some of these proposals MNA or the employer has put out- can anyone explain them to me? You would find a more favorable responce and you will find out you are not alone.
I to have four kids and one has been the hospital multiple time since she was born last Novemeber. My wife is in school full time and we mainly live on my income. I am on of the negotaition teams and feel a lot of pressure to get this done and so we all can get on with our lives. I am in the same boat you are in. I understand your feelings. Find a MNA rep or negotaition team memeber were you work and have a converastion with them, it might help you out.
FYI:
Heidi (so sorry) was just discovered (called out) on Facebook (where she has also been posting) AKA Lori S. who is actually a supervisor at Park Nicollet Urgent Care/Carlson Parkway (?!). Just thought that might shed a little bit of light before she tries to squeeze anymore tears out of anyone and “encourages” and justifies crossing at “stop signs”. Sure makes me want to give the wolf a nice big warm and fuzzy hug… talk about the proverbial wolf in sheep’s clothing. I post this for the purpose of reality. These are some of the people that we are dealing with here and it is straight out of Union Busting 101. Please be aware. Is it wrong? Is it not being positive? Is this politically correct talk or behavior? Is this nice or kind? Does it make one scratch their head and ask: “What the…?”
Eric, thanks for the insight. I’m really more angry than scared. I meant what I said about the pension stuff. And I know my situation is not unique. I am not trying to bust up the union, just state my case. I want to be honest with myself and colleagues. I’m sorry if it’s not status quo for the union, but it’s from my heart. I have one union rep I can speak honestly with, and I have been. I love the profession of nursing. I worked hard to get here, but I will remain true to myself through this, even if the”haters” come at me full force.
Dear MNA,
Well said! There is nothing left to say. Hold your head high, and have NO regrets. We need to stick up for whats right, this is American, that is what we are suppose to do and by the way, HAVE A RIGHT TO DO!! I am behind you 150 million % !!!!!!
Anyone know how to get information on how to go about applying for the MNA strike fund? I’ve tried looking around on the MNA website but it can be quite difficult to navigate. I’m hoping I won’t have to use the strike fund, but it would be nice to have the information just incase.
The 2nd page of the website has managing financially stuff. If you can’t find the application there, ask your union steward.
Real nice how supportive MNA is of its own members- Solidarity???
If you don’t like union… go work non-union.
Don’t disrespect ours or anyone elses picket lines – they are there for a reason. Tom you and Heidi Hoo should have a nice long conversation with a Teamster. I’m sure that they would just love to educate you. I’ve heard that they are excellent educators. I also heard that they don’t like SCABS either (for reasons you just can’t seem to grasp). If you need a little more support may I suggest a bra or jock strap? We know how much extra support you need when you are SCAB, SCAB collaborator, CEO, TCH (million dollar corporations), manager, strikebuster…and Tom, it’s not “solidarity”…
it’s
“SOLIDARITY!”
The storm starts when the drops start dropping. When the drops stop dropping, the storm starts stopping.
— Dr. Seuss
Back to the negotiation table… Hope for the best and brace for the worse.
Give some, take some, meet in the middle, be honest and forthright, behave as if the whole world was watching you, meet me 50% of the way and I’ll meet you 50% of the way-between us we will be able to be 100% right. Do this and we can stop a storm. If not… we will have to fight. And, fight we will. I know who is standing on the right side of the line…
MNA RN – my sister in solidarity – I have no doubt that there are “hired thugs” posting on this site, but it is also read and posted on by lots of Twin Cities Nurses. We want to promote solidarity, not divide the nurses. I’m pretty fired up myself but – Keep it just a bit more positive? Please?
Heidi – Thanks for the support!!! Maybe we’ll settle before it actually happens or it will be a short strike!!
UTD – If you find out how, let me know please. I don’t think there is enough for 1200 RNs though.
Again, this info is posted on the main MNA page. Here is the link directly for you:
http://mnnurses.org/programs/labor-relations/community-services-union-members
Multiple resources are posted and suggestions for coping during a strike.
I’ve been led to and looked over this page many times, there is nothing there about the strike fund.
Hopefully someone will be able to tell me about it at the meeting tomorrow…
To rn4ptcare:
I
will
try…
Thanks!! 🙂
Dear rn4ptcare:
I
am
finding
it
very
difficult.
Community Services for Union Members | Minnesota Nurses Association
mnnurses.org
In times of financial hardships, there are things that you may think are impossible to do that are possible to do. One of the most basic is working out new payment arrangements with banks, utilities and other creditors when money gets tight.If you call them ahead of time and explain the situation, ma…
Well, well, well. I see “Heidi” aka Loris S. has been BUSTED by MNA Nurse as a supervisor. Posing here as a staff nurse and doing it while at work yet! Nothing should surprise me, but the depths of TCH deception do. I would think so called professionals would have better things to than trying to break up a nurses union.
Beatrix kiddo, please see earlier posts. Once again, MNA rn, has gone to the paranoid side. I have never seen MNAs facebook site, I’ve seen enough here. I use my name, Heidi. Are you really Beatrix? Don’t believe everything you read.
Just one quick question – If there weren’t replacement nurses to cover for striking nurses, what would happen to the pts at 0701 on July 6th once we walk out???????
I know a few of you would say there wouldn’t be a strike because the hosp would have to give into every demand of its nurses. That gives MNA just way too much power – lets start being realistic here people!!!