Abbott Northwestern Hospital is one of the Allina Health hospitals which deal with the nurses’ strike
(Mirror Daily, United States) Strikes are terrible times for both workers and employers. Recently, both the administration and the nurses at Allina Health in Minnesota have been experiencing the feeling. After the similar event in June, nurses at Allina Health hospitals are protesting against their administration again.
Nurses at Allina Health hospitals got together again and decided to vote for a new strike. Now another part of their decision is to prolong the state of events until they reach a satisfactory agreement with the administration. What the nurses ask from them is improved safety measures and health benefits.
The nurses are aware of the fact that the strike also cuts from the salaries, so some of them considered the idea of another job while the protest is still on. This can only mean that the situation will continue, and it takes its toll on both parts involved, as during the strike on June, the hospitals lost $20.4 million. Now what the administration has to consider is that losing their employees is on the verge of happening: older nurses have already resigned or retired, whereas the young ones think of changing their workplace.
Before the strike actually takes place, the workers must give a ten-day notice. On the current event are involved about 4,800 employees, from several hospitals: Mercy, Abbott Northwestern, Phillips Eye Institute, United and Unity hospitals.
Allina Health hospitals intended to reduce the health assurances in order to save about $10 million per year. Now the institution released a new statement:
“We are disappointed by the outcome of today’s vote. Allina Health put a fair compromise offer on the table that preserves choice for our nurses by retaining the two most popular nurse-only insurance plans. While the union continues to focus on another unnecessary strike, Allina Health will continue to focus on providing high quality care to our communities.”
Records prove that nurses at Allina Health went on strike in 1984, 2001(for three weeks) and in 2010. The 2016 nurses are very much determined to go ahead with the planned event, but they also keep in mind the possibility of the institution’s response. All they ask for is a proper insurance plan.
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