Twin Cities nurses get tentative contracts

Published May 12, 2007

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the union that represents almost 11,000 registered nurses in twin cities hospitals on thursday reached tentative contract agreements with five hospital groups.
terms include an 11 percent raise over three years, status quo on health plans and added input concerning issues such as nurse-patient ratios, according to the union, the minnesota nurses association. "we stood up and held our ground," union president linda slattengren said. "in fact, we've made unprecedented gains [and] i am confident this language will be a standard to benefit other nursing unions across the nation."
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the six contracts are not identical, but they all contain the same raises, health coverage and nursing practices language, rabbers said. the union pension plan is also unchanged.
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there had been earlier reports that nursing workloads and staff-patient ratios were important concerns, and rabbers said these tentative agreements provide nursing discretion about such issues as patient flow and numbers in the hospital units.

http://www.startribune.com/535/story/1176669.html

this is a win for nurses, patients and the communities that these hospitals serve.