Comments on: Breaking News: Settlement Agreement Reached

By: May

May — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 03:37:08 +0000

I am actually a nursing student, an LPN planning to finish my RN the end of this year. This problem “patient safety” we all know has been an ongoing issue. When I heard what you RN’s were doing I was never so proud to be a nurse. Yes, although this impact my education, it was suppose to be so worth it. I understand the dilemma’s most of you might have to go through if an open-ended strike were to occur, the harm this would do to you all. But I TRULY thought this was about the patients, in the end, knowing what the tentative agreement is, those of you who vote yes, will not have fought for patient’s after all. Having an open-ended strike may have jeapordized many patients now but for the many, MANY years to come, will have been all worth it I feel. Just my opinion, sad to see the truth in the opening if the vote is yes. All I can say to our patients is…I’m Sorry.

By: S3 RN

S3 RN — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:14:36 +0000

On a more serious note what can we start doing to put some more teeth into our union. I was really disgusted to find out how little the repercussions would be for people who crossed. Shame was certainly not a factor to some of the nurses I talked to, and personally I do not think those individuals who cross a picket line should benefit from their peers sacrifices. Is there something in our (meaning MNA’s bylaws) that would more directly effect those peoples pocketbook. Lastly, I would like to see MNA’s strike fun restructured. I take strong issue with members having to beg for cash on a “who needs it most basis”…My feeling more monies should be going into our own coffers and less monies spent on the PAC donations. just my .02

By: S3 RN

S3 RN — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 01:03:25 +0000

Simple little question to throw a little gas on the fire Is it wrong to assume that our executives will take the costs of the PR firms, The union busting specialist, the full page ads, the not one but two hired talking heads, out of their yearly bonuses…hmm somehow i think there will be quite a bit of boardroom spin going on to preserve those

BK your “union avoidance specialist” comment had me LMAO.

By: Allina Nurse

Allina Nurse — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:46:14 +0000

i found out today that all those nurse managers, etc got a 3% pay raise!

By: Allina RN

Allina RN — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 20:00:09 +0000

I don’t know who you are quoting, but corporations can and do indeed take back things unions feel are rightfully theirs. The reality is taking away things from unions is becoming “business as usually” for many corporations as they negotiate contracts with their unions. So the fact that we fended off all those concessions and the TCHs had to pull them from the table IS in fact a big win for us. Going into negotiations thinking they wouldn’t or couldn’t pull those things from our contract is naive. We only will look “dumb” to those who don’t know any better about the price of doing business these days and labor/management dynamics. You should trust me when I say that the TCHs are NOT happy they didn’t get those concessions through. Does the fight for better staffing end now? Absolutely not. It continues, but in a different way. I voted YES.

By: Kari RN

Kari RN — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:54:37 +0000

Though I am an MNA nurse & stood together with my co-workers I am disheartened when people insult those who came to take care of our patients while we stood our ground. May they be motivated primarily by money? Maybe. Does their willingness to do that weaken our key areas of leverage in our stance against the hospitals? Probably. BUT the reality is our patients still needed nursing care and in order for them to be safe someone needs to be there to provide that care, I’m glad that some people are or we would not be allowed to form unions. Because of the nature of our profession we’ve only been allowed to do so for the last 40 or so years.

By: Minnesota RN

Minnesota RN — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:54:15 +0000

Amen! Let’s not forget the support from the nurses in Duluth who drove down in buses to support us in our informational pickets and one day strike!!

By: KrisRN

KrisRN — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:15:58 +0000

Did your daughter actually ask them if they were nurses or did she assume? Not eveyone at a nurses station is a nurse – most likely they were unit secretaries.

By: anotherRNsayingNO

anotherRNsayingNO — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:05:46 +0000

Indeed, we look dumb.

By: Minnesota RN

Minnesota RN — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:47:51 +0000

That’s very easy for you to say…while we would sit out on strike for weeks or months without pay or medical care potentially returning to a mass layoff, you would still be collecting your paycheck while reaping the benefits of our sacrifice.

Sometimes it isn’t that easy.