Linda Hamilton, RN, Bernadine Engeldorf, RN & Jean Ross, RN, Saint Paul Union Advocate, October 2011 From Madison to Wall Street, from Saint Paul to Washington DC, people are seeing nurses dressed in red scrubs, holding not a stethoscope but a megaphone. We are carrying signs. We are marching en masse. And we are raising our voices. This may seem unusual behavior for our profession, but in truth, our history is deeply rooted in social advocacy, as well as the bedside advocacy you’ve come to trust. We’re doing more because we must. We are facing a crisis in our profession and in the realm in which it serves. Anger is building. ... Nurses

Minnesota Nurses Association, October 14, 2011 Saint Paul, Minnesota – Linda Hamilton, RN, BSN, has been elected to a second consecutive two-year term as the President of the Minnesota Nurses Association.

“Serving as President of MNA has been my passion and privilege, and I am honored and delighted to continue serving our membership,” said Hamilton, who has been MNA’s President since 2009. ... Linda

Minnesota Nurses Association, October 7, 2011 Saint Paul – The Minnesota Nurses Association stands in support of, and in solidarity with, the OccupyWallStreet.org street protests and rallies happening across the country – including today’s “OccupyMN” event near the Hennepin County Government Center in downtown Minneapolis.
 We applaud the commitment, savvy and sacrifice exhibited by the multitude of students, union members, clergy and many others from all walks of life who have come together to loudly and clearly place the blame for the nation’s pain where it belongs. Wall Street caused the financial crisis ... Minnesota

John Croman, KARE, September 1, 2011 Minneapolis - Congresswoman Michele Bachmann impressed thousands of veterans at the American Legion national convention Thursday, saying she'd follow the lead of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan when it comes to national defense. In an appearance at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the Republican presidential candidate defended her vote against raising the debt ceiling. Bachmann warned that the most recent budget deal on Capitol Hill set the stage for future cuts to the military and veterans programs. ... Bachmann

Northland's NewsCenter, September 1, 2011 Duluth - Minnesota nurses are joining nurses across the country in an effort to hold Wall Street accountable for the nation's financial crisis. Nurses gathered in front of the Federal courthouse in Duluth Thursday, calling on US Representative Chip Cravaack to pledge his support to tax Wall Street. By that they want more taxation on financial transactions and market speculation. ... From

Dayna Landgrebe, WDIO, September 1, 2011 Minnesota nurses took jabs at congressional members across the country Thursday, calling the lawmakers to tax Wall Street and help the middle class. In Minnesota's 8th District, RNs from Minnesota Nurses Association targeted Congressman Chip Cravaack. They met at Duluth's Federal Building for what the call their Main Street Contract for America Campaign. They say Cravaack needs to support a tax on Wall Street and that folks here are suffering. "What we're finding now is that people are delaying care," said Linda Hamilton, President of MNA. ... MN

Bemidji Pioneer, August 6, 2011 Contrary to what the Minnesota Nurses Association is again saying today, Sanford Bemidji Medical Center had reached a written tentative agreement regarding safe staffing and scheduling, said Chief Operating Officer Joy Johnson in a Friday evening press release. Contrary to what the Minnesota Nurses Association is again saying today, Sanford Bemidji Medical Center had reached a written tentative agreement regarding safe staffing and scheduling, said Chief Operating Officer Joy Johnson in a Friday evening press release. “We have always been and remain committed to patient care and safety first,” she said. ... Sanford

Northland's NewsCenter, August 5, 2011 Bemidji - Frustrated by Sanford Bemidji Hospital’s refusal to meet in a timely fashion and fearing for the safety of their patients and each other, nurses delivered a formal 10-day informational picketing notice Friday to hospital officials. The picketing is scheduled to occur outside the hospital from 3-5 PM on August 17, during the midst of what Sanford officials are touting as “Gala Week,” a six-day celebration of the corporation’s “plans to raise the bar for fiscal year 2012 and beyond,” according to its website. ... Bemidji

Registered nurses employed by Sanford Bemidji Medical Center overwhelmingly voted Thursday to reject a contract offer from hospital management. The vote authorizes a strike. Laurie Swenson, Bemidji Pioneer, July 29, 2011 Registered nurses employed by Sanford Bemidji Medical Center overwhelmingly voted Thursday to reject a contract offer from hospital management. The vote authorizes a strike. “Our nurses spoke decisively today on behalf of our patients and our profession,” said Peter Danielson, RN, chair of the Minnesota Nurses Association’s bargaining team, which represents 230 RNs at the hospital. ... Sanford

Tom Robertson, Minnesota Public Radio, July 29, 2011 Saint Paul - Management officials with Sanford Bemidji Hospital are disappointed that nurses voted overwhelmingly to reject their contract offer Thursday. The vote authorizes union negotiators representing about 230 nurses to call a strike, if necessary. Sanford officials say they've offered a contract package that's fair, but reflective of changing economic times for the health industry. It may not give nurses everything they want, Sanford Health officials in Bemidji said, but the package compensates workers fairly. ... Hospital

Registered nurses at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center voted Thursday against the hospital management’s contract offer. However, negotiations are still possible, and services remain unaffected said Joy Johnson chief operations officer. Molly Miron, Bemidji Pioneer, July 29, 2011 Registered nurses at Sanford Bemidji Medical Center voted Thursday against the hospital management’s contract offer. However, negotiations are still possible, and services remain unaffected said Joy Johnson chief operations officer. ... Sanford

Failure to approve contract could results in possible strike. More than 230 nurses employed by Sanford Bemidji Medical Center will vote Thursday, July 28, to accept or reject a contract offer from hospital management. Molly Miron, Bemidji Pioneer, July 27, 2011 More than 230 nurses employed by Sanford Bemidji Medical Center will vote Thursday, July 28, to accept or reject a contract offer from hospital management. Rejection would authorize a strike, and bargaining committee leaders are unanimously recommending rejection. Peter Danielson, RN, and Minnesota Nurses Association co-chair for Sanford Bemidji Medical Center, referred in a press release ... Sanford

Northland's NewsCenter, July 26, 2011 Bemidji - More than 230 nurses employed by Sanford Bemidji Hospital will vote Thursday to either accept a contract offer from hospital management or else reject it, thereby authorizing a strike. “Our bargaining committee leaders are unanimously recommending to our nurses that they reject this concession-laden offer and instead authorize the bargaining team to call a strike,” said Peter Danielson, RN. “Despite our best efforts over the past several months, hospital management continues to put its desire for corporate profits ahead of the safety of our patients and the integrity of our profession.” ... Bemidji

Mischa Gaus, Labor Notes, July 15, 2011 Nurses in Minnesota’s northern Iron Range wrapped a three-day strike Thursday, pushing their hospital administrators to staff up. Robin Etter, an eight-year ob/gyn nurse, said Range Regional Health Services routinely relies on overtime, which burns nurses out. Almost half the nurses in her unit have less than a year’s experience, and she understands why many leave. During a recent week, Etter pulled three shifts in a 48-hour period, getting only four hours sleep. When she finally got home at 1 AM, the hospital called at 1:08 AM to ask if she would come back in, Etter said. After she declined, the hospital tried back at 4:30 AM ... Minnesota

Workday Minnesota, July 14, 2011 Hibbing - Nurses at Range Regional Health Services returned to work Thursday after participating in a three-day strike to protest alleged unfair labor practices by management. The walkout followed months of negotiations between Minnesota Nurses Association representatives and hospital executives that began last September. The current contract expired October 31, 2010. In late June, nurses rejected a final offer from RRHS and authorized a strike. “A management proposal regarding paid time off was unacceptable to the nurses because it will likely jeopardize the hospital’s ability to recruit and retain nurses in a competitive market,” the union said. ... Hibbing