“For nearly nine months, hospital executives have turned a deaf ear toward our concerns about staffing levels and the safety of our patients,” said April Klander, RN, chair of the Minnesota Nurses Association’s bargaining team at RRHS. “They have forced us into this situation, and our nurses have responded loud and clear: We’re willing to strike for our patients and our profession.”
More than 150 nurses at RRHS are represented by MNA in the negotiations, which began in September 2010. Nurses and hospital executives have met more than a dozen times since then and have been unable to reach a contract agreement.
“The reason things got to this point is pretty simple,” Klander said. “We cannot continue in good conscience working in situations and circumstances that continually put our patients and ourselves at risk.”
Friday’s vote means nurse leaders at RRHS can call for a strike at any time, though federal labor laws require the hospital be given at least 10 days notice of the nurses’ intent to strike.
“It is our sincere hope that a strike can be avoided,” Klander said. “We’d love nothing more than to see our hospital’s executives come back to the bargaining table and get serious about addressing our concerns related to patient safety and staffing levels.”
Along with staffing and patient safety, other sticking points in negotiations include hospital management’s demand to force nurses into a paid time off structure that lumps sick days and vacation time together instead of keeping the two separate. Another issue involves management demanding the ability to quickly change or extend a nurse’s shift, making it difficult for nurses planning ahead for situations such as daycare services, transportation or other circumstances.
Klander said nurses want contract language that provides for staff nurse input into the delivery of nursing care, RN input regarding staffing levels that includes acuity, or how sick patients are, and a safe work environment.
“Our patients deserve the best qualified nurses caring for them in a safe environment,” Klander said. “And we remain united in seeing this belief reflected in the language of our contract.”
For more information
Visit the MNA website
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“For nearly nine months, hospital executives have turned a deaf ear toward our concerns about staffing levels and the safety of our patients,” said April Klander, RN, chair of the Minnesota Nurses Association’s bargaining team at RRHS. “They have forced us into this situation, and our nurses have responded loud and clear: We’re willing to strike for our patients and our profession.”
More than 150 nurses at RRHS are represented by MNA in the negotiations, which began in September 2010. Nurses and hospital executives have met more than a dozen times since then and have been unable to reach a contract agreement.
“The reason things got to this point is pretty simple,” Klander said. “We cannot continue in good conscience working in situations and circumstances that continually put our patients and ourselves at risk.”
Friday’s vote means nurse leaders at RRHS can call for a strike at any time, though federal labor laws require the hospital be given at least 10 days notice of the nurses’ intent to strike.
“It is our sincere hope that a strike can be avoided,” Klander said. “We’d love nothing more than to see our hospital’s executives come back to the bargaining table and get serious about addressing our concerns related to patient safety and staffing levels.”
Along with staffing and patient safety, other sticking points in negotiations include hospital management’s demand to force nurses into a paid time off structure that lumps sick days and vacation time together instead of keeping the two separate. Another issue involves management demanding the ability to quickly change or extend a nurse’s shift, making it difficult for nurses planning ahead for situations such as daycare services, transportation or other circumstances.
Klander said nurses want contract language that provides for staff nurse input into the delivery of nursing care, RN input regarding staffing levels that includes acuity, or how sick patients are, and a safe work environment.
“Our patients deserve the best qualified nurses caring for them in a safe environment,” Klander said. “And we remain united in seeing this belief reflected in the language of our contract.”
For more information
Visit the MNA website