Nurses,hospitals make no progress in Thursday's mediation

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4538

25 June 2010

ST. PAUL - A statement issued by the MN Nurses Association stated that "zero progress" was made on Thursday. They plan to file a 10-day strike notice today.
JUNE 24, 2010 STATEMENT FROM THE MINNESOTA NURSES ASSOCIATION:

Our nurses spent more than 13 hours today doing our best to stay hopeful about negotiations. Unfortunately, zero progress was made. Despite today’s setback, our nurses offered to return to the bargaining table again on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and every other day until a contract agreement can be reached. Instead, the Twin Cities Hospitals responded that the earliest they could meet would be sometime next week. It has become beyond obvious to our nurses that the Twin Cities Hospitals, despite what they continue to say publicly, have no interest in meaningful or good faith negotiations.

It has become beyond obvious to our nurses that the Twin Cities Hospitals, despite what they continue to say publicly, have no interest in meaningful or good faith negotiations. MNA had agreed not to file a 10-day strike notice if meaningful, productive negotiations were taking place. Since that is not the case, our nurses will be filing a formal 10-day strike notice tomorrow morning, June 25, 2010.



Some 12,000 nurses engaged in a one-day walkout June 10 over the issue of safe staffing at 14 metro-area hospitals. To step up the pressure for a settlement, union members then voted 84 percent on Monday to authorize leadership to call an open-ended strike if necessary.

MNA President Linda Hamilton said the vote “was the strongest possible statement we could send to the hospitals regarding our unwavering commitment to our patients and our profession.”