TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER
TOP 10 DAY, AND NOW IN TODAY'S
NEWS, A FIGHT OVER HEALTH
INSURANCE AND WORK PLACE SAFETY
HAS THOUSANDS OF TWIN CITIES
NURSES READY TO GO ON STRIKE
BEGINNING MONDAY.
NURSES PLAN TO HIT THE
PICKET LINE ON LABOR DAY, AND
THEY SAY THEY WILL STAY THERE
AS LONG AS IT TAKES.
ABOUT AN HOUR AGO, COMMUNITY
RALLIES BEGAN AT THE PARK.
ANGELA DAVE SIS LIVE AT THAT
RALLY IN MINNEAPOLIS AND HAS AN
UPDATE FOR US.
Reporter: HEY THERE, FRANK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS A
CROWD HERE, ABOUT 200 PEOPLE
HERE AT STEWART PARK IN
MINNEAPOLIS.
WE'VE SEEN UNION LEADERS,
POLITICAL LEADERS, AS WELL AS
MANY OTHERS WHO PLAN TO GO ON
STRIKE MONDAY MORNING.
NOW, THERE IS ONE LAST CHANCE
TO AVERT THAT STRIKE.
ON FRIDAY, THERE IS A
NEGOTIATING SESSION THAT IS
SCHEDULED BETWEEN LEADERS OF
ALLINA HEALTH, AS WELL AS
NEGOTIATORS WHO REPRESENT
NEARLY 5,000 NURSES.
IN JUNE, ALLINA NURSES STAGED A
ONE-WEEK STRIKE TO SHOW THEY
MEAN BUSINESS.
BUT IF IF THERE IS STILL NO
AGREEMENT ON A NEW CONTRACT
ABOUT BY THE END OF THE WEEK,
NURSES AT UNITED, MERCY, UNITY,
ABBOTT NORTHWESTERN, AND
PHILLIPS EYE INSTITUTE COULD
STRIKE FOR MUCH LONGER.
WE'VE BEEN AT THIS SINCE
FEBRUARY, AND UNFORTUNATELY
JUST HAVEN'T COME TO AN
AGREEMENT YET.
ANGELA IS ON THE TEAM FOR
THE MINNESOTA NURSES
ASSOCIATION.
SHE SAID NURSES NEED MORE
RESOURCES, BETTER STAFFING AND
SECURITY.
I THINK WE NEED OUR VOICE
OUT THERE.
THEY NEED TO ADDRESS THESE.
WE'RE GETTING HIT, KICKED,
PUNCHED AND SPIT ON, AND ALLINA
ISN'T ADDRESSING THAT.
Reporter:
THE CURRENT NURSE ONLY
INSURANCE PLANS WERE DESIGNED
OVER TWO DECADES AGO AND DON'T
REAP PROTECT THE WAY SORT OF
HEALTH INSURANCE WORKS THESE
DAYS.
THEIR COSTS ARE SPIRALING OUT
OF CONTROL, AND IT'S REALLY
UNSUSTAINABLE FOR US AS AN
ORGANIZATION TO CONTINUE TO
FUND THOSE PLANS.
Reporter: DAVID IS THE
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR
ALLINA HEALTH.
I THINK THE GOOD NEWS IS WE
HAVE REALLY GOOD ALTERNATIVES
THAT PROVIDE EXCELLENT COVERAGE
FOR OVER 30,000 OTHER ALLINA
HEALTH EMPLOYEES AND THEIR
FAMILIES.
THE NURSE'S ONE WEEK STRIKE
IN JUNE ENDED UP COSTING ALLI
NA MILLIONS OF DOLLARS AS THEY
HAD TO HIRE NURSES TO MAINTAIN
SERVICE AT THEIR HOSPITALS.
Reporter: A LIVE LOOK AT
THIS RALLY IN SUPPORT OF ALLINA
NURSES.
THIS RALLY IS EXPECTED TO GO
UNTIL 6:00 THIS EVENING.
WE KNOW A FEDERAL MEDIATOR WILL
BE AT THAT MEETING ON FRIDAY.
IF NO DEAL IS REACHED ON
FRIDAY, WE'RE TOLD THOSE NURSES
WILL BEGIN TO STRIKE AT 7:00 ON
MONDAY MORNING, MONDAY, AS YOU
KNOW, IS LABOR DAY, AND THEY
WILL HAVE PICTURE LINES AT EACH
OF THE ALLINA HOSPITALS
AFFECTED BY THIS.
AS FOR ALLINAR, THEY ARE SAYING
THEY HAVE CONTACT WITH THE
