Hennepin Healthcare nurses picket in downtown Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS -- Union nurses at Hennepin Healthcare picketed Monday in downtown Minneapolis, expressing their frustration with hospital management over issues of pay, retention and safety.
The nurses, who are currently in talks with management, say that want increased staffing and for the hospital to address workplace violence.
"The hospital just doesn't do anything about the violence," said Andi Sherek, a union nurse. "There's no repercussion, there's no follow-through, there's no care and concern for the nurses who've been assaulted."
The hospital issued a statement Monday saying it's confident a fair settlement will be reached, adding, in part, that negotiations are ongoing with the union.
"Hennepin Healthcare is committed to being a place of healing, and that includes providing a safe and secure workplace. Any assault on one of our team members is unacceptable," the hospital said. "Unfortunately, incidences of violence are increasing in our society, and it's well-documented that hospitals across the country are seeing a rise in behavioral and mental health issues, addiction, and the effects of trauma."
The nurses who picketed downtown Monday are not part of the thousands of nurses in Minnesota who voted last week to authorize a strike, citing similar issues of staffing shortages, retention problems and safety.
No strike date has been set for those nurses.
