Extended MN Nurses Strike Averted

Nurses Union

Published

http://tinyurl.com/25vnygu

the minnesota nurse's association dropped their demand for mandatory staffing ratios, but both sides agreed to address the staffing concerns through existing committees.

the hospitals dropped their cuts to pensions, health insurance and other staffing changes.

both the hospitals and the unions come out looking pretty bad on this one - to the general public anyway. the hospitals have had to deflect accusations of understaffing - to the chagrin of some nurses who say their departments are well staffed.

the nurses dropped demands on what they always said was the primary issue: staffing ratios. this prompted many cynical observers to claim the strike was "always about money" since the nurses did not have their pensions or benefits cut. the nurses, however, did accept the hospitals proposal of pay raises of 0, 1 and 2 percent.

i'm glad they came to an agreement, but i am disappointed that it took so long and that the one-day strike cost me a competitive internship with allina i had worked hard to win and cannot get back.

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Specializes in Hem/Onc, LTC, AL, Homecare, Mgmt, Psych.

The whole thing did kind of have a melodramatic ending. Why did you lose your internship?

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Have you considered applying to the VA for a Student Nurse Technician program?

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The whole thing did kind of have a melodramatic ending. Why did you lose your internship?

The hospital cancelled all internships back in May due to "the upcoming strike." They said they would "take into consideration" that I had been granted an internship if I apply with them after graduation.

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Have you considered applying to the VA for a Student Nurse Technician program?

No, I haven't - because I hadn't heard about it.

Thank you for the headsup, I will look into it!

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And now the ratios will still remain crappy, so nothing in essence was done about working conditions.

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Specializes in Psych.

Total loss of credibilty in my eyes, but I am not really impressed by the CNA either.

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Specializes in M/S, Travel Nursing, Pulmonary.

So, in short, the hospitals had their boots to the MN nurses throats the whole time and decided it was easier to give up on a couple issues, issues not relating to the reason for the strike at all, give the pension and raises..........and avoid having to bring in people to fill the positions. Total strike out for MN nurses.

If the hospital had calculated that it would have been cheaper to allow the strike to go on than to cave in on a couple side issues, they would have done so. But, at least then, the poor work conditions and ratios would have had a chance to get exposed.

Laughable really. As OP states, the MN nurses claim their units remained well staffed. Ummmm...........wasn't it the point of the strike that the units were not staffed properly? Big thumbs down for talking outta both sides of the mouth and taking the metaphoric milkbone when bigger things were on the table.:down:

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I have a slightly different perspective. Federal mediators called the two sides back in the room and essentially made them negotiate.

TC hospitals had withdrawn the wage/benefit cuts. MNA refused to settle for economics only. The strike was going to proceed and then the mediator pulled them back in to the room together. After 11 hours they settled.

At the end the hospitals agreed with MNA that ratios were a problem. Even getting the hospitals to agree to a meet and confer process to address staffing problems was a step forward.

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I have a slightly different perspective. Federal mediators called the two sides back in the room and essentially made them negotiate.

TC hospitals had withdrawn the wage/benefit cuts. MNA refused to settle for economics only. The strike was going to proceed and then the mediator pulled them back in to the room together. After 11 hours they settled.

At the end the hospitals agreed with MNA that ratios were a problem. Even getting the hospitals to agree to a meet and confer process to address staffing problems was a step forward.

And without the threat of a strike the nurses would have ended up with big pension cuts and even worse staffing language. It's true the nurses did not make the gains they hoped to make, but in the current times, when nurses in many places are suffering increased workloads, cuts in wages and benefits and even layoffs, just maintaining the status quo is a victory. The hospitals came into this process determined to roll back wages and benefits and to gain more "flexibility" on staffing. They didn't get any of that.

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Laughable really. As OP states, the MN nurses claim their units remained well staffed. Ummmm...........wasn't it the point of the strike that the units were not staffed properly? Big thumbs down for talking outta both sides of the mouth and taking the metaphoric milkbone when bigger things were on the table.:down:

It's all about the money. Don't think for a second that the nurses were striking for "patient care." That's the laughable statement really.

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