CENTER CITY, Minn. — Some 60 nurses in their red Minnesota Nurses Association shirts came out in 90 degree heat to march and rally on a highway outside the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation July 15. John Ewaldt, the union negotiator, told the Militant some 30 licensed practical nurses and 30 registered nurses are on strike here. They have been trying to negotiate a first union contract with the company for almost a year.
Diamond Palmer, who handles public relations for the union, welcomed me and others to the picket line, saying the workers appreciate any solidarity they get. She said the company had unilaterally changed nurses’ working conditions, without talking with the union.
Jody Burton, a striker and 11-year registered nurse, said the most important issue was there is no on-site security hired to protect either patients or staff. “We have to have trained professionals that can deal with these kinds of problems,” she said, not have to resort to law enforcement. “We have lost staff because the company has increased the cost of benefits, and some nurses found jobs with more attractive benefit packages.”
“The employer brought in security personnel for the temporary replacement nurses,” the union told the press, “the same protection MNA nurses have been seeking in contract negotiations for more than a year.” The next negotiations are set for July 21.
Center City is also where some 170 Teamsters Local 320 members have been on strike against the Chisago County government for over two months in a fight over wages and health insurance. While visiting their picket line that morning, strikers said they and the nurses were joining each other’s picket lines to extend solidarity.
The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, the state’s largest union of government workers with 18,000 members, called on its members to join the Minnesota Nursing Association and Teamsters picket lines and to contribute to the Teamsters strike fund at www.Teamsterslocal320.org.