Bargaining & Collective Action Updates

Bargaining & Collective Action Update

NEW CONTRACT AGREEMENTS Marshalltown, IA nurses overwhelmingly ratify new contract

In late March, nurses in Marshalltown, IA reached a tentative agreement during contract negotiations and in early April, overwhelmingly voted to ratify the new contract. The negotiations were not without challenges. The nurses and their community have survived a tornado and derecho in recent years as well as bankruptcy and corporate takeover of their hospital. Additionally, nurses faced a decertification election that emerged two days after bargaining began.

Nurses took each challenge in stride and kept showing up. Their dedication paid off with nurses achieving wages of 6% retroactive to January and 2% in the second year. They also won a two-year agreement, did away with a two-tier wage scale, made bonuses retroactive, improved pay to the Weekend Package and more. They successfully fought off several concessions including reduced PTO accrual, doing education on their own time, floating without conditions, and more.

Council Bluffs nurses ratify wage opener

In late April, nurses in Council Bluffs, IA came to an agreement on a wage opener. They successfully ratified the agreement for a wage opener of 10% across the board.

Grand Marais nurses reach Tentative Agreement

Nurses in Grand Marais reached a tentative agreement at the end of May. They fought off several concessions including moving all 12-hour staff to every other weekend, reducing holiday pay, and no PTO payout upon resignation without notice. Wins at the negotiating table included wage increases of 5% retroactive to January 2022 for the first year of the contract and increases of 4.5% and 4% for subsequent years; increase to on-call pay; expanded information in the confirmed work agreement; increase to ambulance bonus; and more.

COLLECTIVE ACTION Moose Lake nurses are fighting for a fair contract

MNA nurses from Moose Lake gathered at the Moose Lake Ice Fishing Competition in February to show they are ready to fight for a fair contract from Essentia. MNA nurses from facilities across the state also attended to show their solidarity.

After buying Mercy Moose Lake in 2020, Essentia refused to recognize the nurses’ union contract. Essentia staff have lost hundreds of hours of sick time, and the community has lost services including PICC line placement, orthopedics, radiology, and more. Moose Lake nurses continue to ask for Essentia to respect them and bargain in good faith.

Negotiations are still ongoing, but after a successful event, nurses are more involved than ever and continue to stand strong and bargain together.

MNA nurses in solidarity with striking members of Minneapolis Federation of Teachers

MNA nurses showed up in support of Minneapolis teachers and Education Support Professionals who went on strike for safe and stable schools. The strike lasted nearly three weeks, with teachers and ESPs winning increased pay, class size caps, improved student mental health resources and more.

Twin Ports nurses stand up for their right to organize

On Wednesday, March 30 nurses and community allies in the Twin Ports (Duluth and Superior) called on Essentia CEO David C. Herman to pledge to respect union neutrality at their facilities. Nurses are also asking for Essentia to promise that the health system won’t interfere with worker attempts to organize, including at the new outpatient surgical center slated to open in the coming months. Those that spoke about the importance of unionized healthcare facilities included MNA 1st Vice President Chris Rubesch, RN, and Marcia Swanson, RN, who work at Essentia Duluth; Tristin Eastvold, an RN at Essentia Moose Lake; MNA President Mary C. Turner, RN; and Beth McCuskey, President of the Duluth Central Labor Body.

“Essentia health is anti-union because they want to take away nurses’ voices.” - Tristin Eastvold, RN at Essentia Moose Lake

Marshall, MN nurses hold successful April picket

Nurses at Avera Regional Medical Center in Marshall held an informational picket on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. Marshall nurses began bargaining when their previous contract expired in September of last year. Now, more than six months later, Avera management still has not agreed to a new contract that would address the short-staffing and retention issues at the hospital and would fairly compensate nurses.

“We are asking hospital executives to do what needs to be done to attract and retain nurses so we can continue to provide the high-quality care our community expects and deserves,” said Mary McConnell, RN at Avera Marshall Regional Medical Center. “Nurses kept our hospitals running and our patients cared for through the pandemic. Now it is time for hospital management to listen to and value our nurses, and to give us the support we need to continue to provide exceptional patient care at the bedside.”

The picket was successful in getting management to back off their aggressive tactics of deadlines, etc. and to start agreeing to several of the nurses’ proposals.

Solidarity with striking SEIU Healthcare mental health workers

On Tuesday, May 24, MNA nurses picketed in solidarity with striking mental health workers. These SEIU Healthcare workers participated in a one-day strike to demand safety for workers and patients, and to be paid a living wage.

MNA President Mary C. Turner, RN, spoke at the strike saying, “We nurses at all of the hospitals that are on strike, we know that we can’t do our job without you. We know how valuable you are to the patients. We know that you are valuable to us.”