Health Care Workers' Advocate
Fight Understaffing! | Lessons of the 2001 Fairview Nurses Strike | Events | Archives | Related Links | Contact Us | Diary of a Nursing Home Agitator | Nova Scotia
web site editor: Doug Mann LPN Email to: hcwadvocate@cs.com
Link to Doug Mann for School Board web site, which has statements, information, and links to other sites.
Minnesota- Lessons of the 2001 Fairview Nurses Strike
An in-depth article about the Fairview strike and the negotiations that preceded it. Also see archives
Headings: The One-at-a-Time Strategy - The Scab Nurse Shortage - The Public Relations Front - The HealthEast Settlement - The Domino Effect - Ratification of a Rejected Contract - The Formation of RNs for Change - The Legacy of Win-Win Bargaining - No Confidence in Management to Voluntarily Reduce RN Workloads - Nursing Shortage or Staffing Crisis?
RN's for Change (Link to web site)
RN's for Change was formed in response to problems that occurred during the 2001 negotiations with 13 MNA contract hospitals in the Twin Cities area. The MNA leadership failed to preserve a united front and effectively represent the interests of 9,000 MNA members at the bargaining table.
Most of the MNA contracts were approved by extremely narrow margins. Nurses at Abbott Northwestern Hospital rejected, by one vote, what may be the best of the collective bargaining agreements, but are stuck with it due to a miscount. Abbott Northwestern employs 1700 RNs in staff nurse positions. Fairview nurses twice voted down contract offers and were on strike from 3 June to 25 June 2001. The 2 struck hospitals employed 1350 MNA members on 3 June 2001.
Setting hospital staffing ratios & the 'nursing shortage'
Kay McVay, RN, California Nurses Association President [from California Nurse]
Congressional research agrees with ONA; concludes its a "staffing crisis" and there is no true nursing shortage [from Ohio Nurses Association web site]
Nova Scotia (Canada)
2,900 Allied health care workers represented by the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union (NSGEU) are poised to strike on 27 June 2001. The provincial government is prepared to enact 'Bill 68,' a piece of legislation that will illegalize the strike. (Press releases from the NSGEU)
California- Nurses announce plans for one-day strike - Sacramento Bee 6/14/01
Related Links Links to other web sites include:
Massachusetts Nurses Association - for updates on nurses strike against Brockton Hospital in the South Boston area (since May 26),
Ohio Nurses Association and Youngstown General Duty Nurses Association (YGDNA) - for updates on nurses strike against the Western Reserve Care System/Forum Health located in Youngstown OH (since May 1)