Nurses set to strike over insurance at 5 Minnesota hospitals

[TexasTowelie]

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Thousands of nurses at five Minnesota hospitals are scheduled to go on strike at 7 a.m. Monday, Labor Day, in a dispute over health insurance, workplace safety and staffing levels. Here's a look at some of the issues:

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WHICH HOSPITALS ARE INVOLVED?

They're all part of Minneapolis-based Allina Health — Abbott Northwestern and the Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis, United in St. Paul, Unity in Fridley and Mercy in Coon Rapids. About 4,800 nurses at those hospitals are represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association, the union that called the open-ended strike.

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WHAT'S THE MAIN DISPUTE?

Health insurance.

In a move Allina estimates would save $10 million a year, it wanted to switch nurses from their union-only health plans to ones that cover all other Allina employees, meaning nurses would pay lower premiums but have higher deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses.

Read more: http://lacrossetribune.com/news/state-and-regional/mn/nurses-set-to-strike-over-insurance-at-minnesota-hospitals/article_7359954c-c81b-5925-9524-194394fdbea3.html

[geardaddy]

1. I stand with the nurses

Solidarity!