The 12,000 nurses that represent the Minnesota Nurses Association at 14 Twin Cities hospitals are threatening to walk out June 10 unless talks produce an agreement about pay increases of three percent for each of the three years, pension contributions and more flexibility in scheduling. Nurses claim to be stretched to the limit and don't have enough say in staffing levels. This is causing a low nursing morale and stressed out.
In this strike there are spokespersons from both sides stating their side of the disagreement. It's important this is, so that the clearest messages are communicated to one another and the press in hopes of reaching a settlement. I think that both defenders are doing a good job representing their sides' wants.
I side with the Minnesota Nurses Association, but still I can see both sides. The hospitals are struggling just like any other business during this downturn. They don't want to guarantee higher wages and pensions and other benefits if revenue is not growing. Also, hospitals want to be able to move nurses around hospital units depending on census numbers, even if a nurse is unfamiliar with their new surrounding and may not work as efficient.
Hospitals are an important part of society and nurses are a big piece of their operation. Patients are nervous that their care will be affected by the strike and hospitals are trying to prepare. Hospital communicators are making it clear that the strike will not affect their patient's care, which is vital. There is hope that the strike can be averted all together before 10 arrives.
Affected hospitals: Abbott Northwestern, Mercy, Unity, United and Phillips Eye Institute (all owned by Allina Hospitals and Clinics), St. John's, St. Joseph's and Bethesda (owned by HealthEast Care System), North Memorial, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, Park Nicollet Methodist, Fairview Southdale and the Riverside campus of University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview.
Great insight, Meredith. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for reading and the comment! It will be interesting to see what happens. I'm hoping a strike doesn't need to occur. Do you have any reaction to the subject?
ReplyDeleteThe nurses tend to ignore a number of interesting aspects in this situation. While they claim that the hospitals have made money over the past year (hospitals in MN are not allowed to make a "profit", being not for profit enterprises), much of this money has already been earmarked for such things as plant, property and equipment upgrades and replacements. Which would you prefer, very well paid nurses and failing equipment and buildings, or modern, state of the art equipment and modern facilities? Obviously somewhere in between is ideal, but you have to also consider the fact that the majority of MNA members (RNs) work less than a full FTE position; many are at 0.80 and some even less. Would the nurses be willing to all work 1.0 FTE positions to make things work? I am not sure. Nurses certainly are a vital component in the system of care for patients, but MN is one of the best performing states for outcomes and patient care under current staffing? Where are the data to support the MNA's assertions of compromised patient care? Additionally, as it is, the nurses pensions are incredibly generous, especially compared to what most other people get from their employers. Also, look at what a new RN earns starting out and all the special pay rates they have wrangled out of the hospitals - there were about 25 different pay rates for differing reasons (working on your birthday, working on your anniversary date, weekends, public holidays, etc., etc.,)when I worked at Allina - this was only applicable to RNs not other employees.
ReplyDeleteThe hospitals will manage just fine and there will be no compromise to patient care - replacement staff will be fully qualified and able to handle what goes on at the hospitals. What would be really interesting would be if the hospitals choose to lock out the nurses for more than the one day strike. We'll just have to wait and see.
Thank you for your comment Oliver. I always appreciate hearing a supporter different than my own. You have provided great insight. I hope the nurses and hospitals can find some middle ground to both be happy with.
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