2010 Pension Negotiations

PENSION BARGAINING NEGOTIATIONS

May 17, 2010 Update

Please read this document - Pension Update (May 17, 2010) - to get an updated version of the employers' and MNA's proposals on the Pension plan. This PDF also includes FAQs and Did You Know? sections to help sort out fact from fiction when it comes to what the hospitals are telling nurses in employee communications/meetings.

Extra links:

• MNA's Modified Proposal (Note: This PDF does not include the verbal updates MNA made at the May 14 meeting, but those updates are included in the May 17 Pension Update PDF Document above.)
• Employer's Modified Proposal (May 3, 2010)

May 14, 2010 Update

The pension bargaining committee met today with the Hospital Representatives. A Federal Mediator was present. The MNA Pension Committee members  discussed the proposal the Hospital submitted via email on May 3rd, 2010. Your Pension Bargaining Committee presented the Hospitals a counter proposal. The Hospitals continue to demand draconian cuts to your pension benefits, stating their intent is to reduce their costs.

The Hospitals would rather spend time and money on scabs than maintaining your current pension benefits.  They are willing to spend $$$ – just not on you. Your Pension Committee is  recommending that Twin City Nurses vote to reject the Hospitals proposal and authorize a strike. 

March 17, 2010 Update
The last scheduled pension bargaining session was held on March 17 between MNA and employer representatives. A Federal Mediator also was present.

MNA nurses presented a Modified Proposal, but the employers had NO comment. Instead, the employers wanted to restate their position, numerous times, on how much the pension costs. Actual words used by the employer were: “It’s all about the money.”
There are no future dates set at this time for pension bargaining.

March 10, 2010 Update

All About the Money 

The Employers overarching principle is this: They want to cut your pension.

Some Effects of Employers Pension proposals:

• You will earn a lower pension benefit for any work after 1-1-2011….GUARANTEED
• You will only earn credits to your pension benefit if you work in a .5 or greater position.
• Pension benefits will be cut for every nurse whether you take a normal retirement, early retirement, or disability retirement.

All proposals have been shared. We will be meeting with the Federal Mediator for the next bargaining session on March 17th, 2010.

March 5, 2010 Update

Employers Propose Major Reductions   

    Our pension plan is the envy of registered nurses around the country. It is a benefit that we negotiated years ago and have worked hard to protect. Many of us have worked for years in our hospitals, providing quality patient care every day, and deserve a pension that will allow us to retire when we are ready.

    Pension bargaining with our employers got under way on Friday, March 5. We proposed moderate improvements to our pension. Our employers, on the other hand, proposed three major reductions in pension benefits.

Our Proposals

• Improve the benefit formula to provide an accrued benefit each year equal to two (2) percent of nurses’ W-2 earnings.
• Provide an increase in the benefits paid to current retired nurses.
• Provide an increase in the minimum annual benefit credit.
• Clarify pension plan to ensure no reduction for retired nurses under the age of 65 who return to work and subsequently “re-retires.”
• Clarify pension plan to permit annual increase for retired nurses who satisfy the 25 years of service rule to receive annual pension adjustments without having to re-terminate employment or reach age 65.
• Revise the plan to provide that if any participating employer enters into a consolidation, merger, sale or other transfer, acceptance of the pension plan must be accepted by a successor, assign, or other transferee.
• Mutually agree on a new permanent arbitrator and alternate arbitrator.

View MNA's Pension Proposal

Employers’ Proposals

• Reduce the benefit formula to 1.1 percent. This is a sharp reduction from the current formula of 1.65 percent.
• Eliminate the Rule of 85.

View Employers Pension Proposal

(NOTE: "Appendix A" refers to entire pension document annotated with proposed changes by employer.)

 

MNA’s Pension Bargaining Team consists of:

• Juli Uzlik, Fairview
• Naomi English, Allina
• Kristen Schneider, Childrens
• Becky Connolly, HealthEast
• Dee Dee Bloch, Methodist
• Pat Webster, North

Negotiations will continue March 17.

We must stand united to Protect Our Pension!

Check back for regular updates.