At a rally Saturday at Hopkins High School, several nurses recalled those struggles – and said they are ready to walk out again to maintain a fair contract and protect patient safety.
“Everything we fought for in 2001, they are taking away,” said Peg Malaske, one of 1,350 nurses who struck Fairview Health Systems in 2001.
“Methodist Hospital has put together a proposal to end everything we fought for in 1984,” said Laurie Christian, who took part in the 1984 strike – the largest RN strike in U.S. history – when 6,000 nurses walked off the job for 35 days.
“I’m afraid we’re going to have to prove it to them (management) again,” said Jean Ross, a veteran of both strikes and co-president of National Nurses United, the 150,000-member national nurses union of which the Minnesota Nurses Association is a part.
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| Nurses and supporters of all ages rallied Saturday at Hopkins High School. |
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Staffing, pensions are key issues
The current labor contract between 12,000 Minnesota nurses and six Twin Cities hospital systems (North Memorial, HealthEast, Allina, Methodist, Children’s and Fairview) expires May 31.
While bargaining continues, MNA already has scheduled a vote May 19 to either ratify a new contract or authorize a strike. At the forefront of 2010 talks are two issues – RN staffing levels and the nurses’ pension fund, which has been in place since 1962.
More than 72,000 people in the United States needlessly die every year because hospitals don’t have enough nurses on staff, said MNA President Linda Hamilton. Minnesota nurses have led the way in seeking care levels that match each patient’s needs, but the hospitals have so far rejected the nurses’ proposals, she said.
Pension bargaining between nurses and the hospital systems began in early March and the hospitals have made it clear they want to cut the nurses’ pension funding by a third, she said.
“First of all, our pension funding equals about one percent of these hospital systems’ annual revenue,” Hamilton said. “It’s a minimal expense. These hospitals aren’t going to be closing their doors in order to pay nurses the retirement benefits we’ve been earning for nearly five decades.”
The hospitals’ current proposal would put the nurses’ pension benefits back to 1968 levels, according to Hamilton.
Remembering 1984
At Saturday’s rally, hundreds of nurses affirmed their commitment to strike if necessary to get a fair contract. They were joined by supporters from the community and elsewhere in the labor movement, including other health care unions and the regional and state AFL-CIO.
“Anybody who has been in a hospital – either themselves or a loved one – they know how important the nurses are,” Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson said. “I can tell you on behalf of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, we are there for you.”
MNA member Mary Scattarelli drew cheers when she recounted her involvement in the 1984 walkout. Fresh out of nursing school, she had almost no seniority and student loans and a mortgage to pay. But “I just knew I had to get involved,” she said. “There was so much at stake.”
Nurses of all ages and backgrounds stood together and drew on strong support from the community, Scattarelli said. “The hospitals quickly learned they severely underestimated us.”
While no one ever wants to strike, Scattarelli said she is prepared to do it again if necessary.
“We cannot allow any erosion of what we have worked so hard for all these years,” she stated.
For more information
Visit the MNA website
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At a rally Saturday at Hopkins High School, several nurses recalled those struggles – and said they are ready to walk out again to maintain a fair contract and protect patient safety.
“Everything we fought for in 2001, they are taking away,” said Peg Malaske, one of 1,350 nurses who struck Fairview Health Systems in 2001.
“Methodist Hospital has put together a proposal to end everything we fought for in 1984,” said Laurie Christian, who took part in the 1984 strike – the largest RN strike in U.S. history – when 6,000 nurses walked off the job for 35 days.
“I’m afraid we’re going to have to prove it to them (management) again,” said Jean Ross, a veteran of both strikes and co-president of National Nurses United, the 150,000-member national nurses union of which the Minnesota Nurses Association is a part.
|
| Nurses and supporters of all ages rallied Saturday at Hopkins High School. |
|
Staffing, pensions are key issues
The current labor contract between 12,000 Minnesota nurses and six Twin Cities hospital systems (North Memorial, HealthEast, Allina, Methodist, Children’s and Fairview) expires May 31.
While bargaining continues, MNA already has scheduled a vote May 19 to either ratify a new contract or authorize a strike. At the forefront of 2010 talks are two issues – RN staffing levels and the nurses’ pension fund, which has been in place since 1962.
More than 72,000 people in the United States needlessly die every year because hospitals don’t have enough nurses on staff, said MNA President Linda Hamilton. Minnesota nurses have led the way in seeking care levels that match each patient’s needs, but the hospitals have so far rejected the nurses’ proposals, she said.
Pension bargaining between nurses and the hospital systems began in early March and the hospitals have made it clear they want to cut the nurses’ pension funding by a third, she said.
“First of all, our pension funding equals about one percent of these hospital systems’ annual revenue,” Hamilton said. “It’s a minimal expense. These hospitals aren’t going to be closing their doors in order to pay nurses the retirement benefits we’ve been earning for nearly five decades.”
The hospitals’ current proposal would put the nurses’ pension benefits back to 1968 levels, according to Hamilton.
Remembering 1984
At Saturday’s rally, hundreds of nurses affirmed their commitment to strike if necessary to get a fair contract. They were joined by supporters from the community and elsewhere in the labor movement, including other health care unions and the regional and state AFL-CIO.
“Anybody who has been in a hospital – either themselves or a loved one – they know how important the nurses are,” Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson said. “I can tell you on behalf of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, we are there for you.”
MNA member Mary Scattarelli drew cheers when she recounted her involvement in the 1984 walkout. Fresh out of nursing school, she had almost no seniority and student loans and a mortgage to pay. But “I just knew I had to get involved,” she said. “There was so much at stake.”
Nurses of all ages and backgrounds stood together and drew on strong support from the community, Scattarelli said. “The hospitals quickly learned they severely underestimated us.”
While no one ever wants to strike, Scattarelli said she is prepared to do it again if necessary.
“We cannot allow any erosion of what we have worked so hard for all these years,” she stated.
For more information
Visit the MNA website