May 22, 2001 - Nurses at North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale upset about last week's vote to approve a new three-year contract are asking for a recount. North Memorial was the only one of thirteen hospitals to approve a contract. Twelve other hospitals are preparing for a possible strike on June first. A spokeswoman for the Minnesota Hospital and Healthcare Partnership says the nurse's union and hospitals will likely meet with a federal mediator on Thursday. But hospitals are moving forward with their strike preparations, and are looking to hire 4,000 replacement nurses in order to stay open. Some of those replacements could come from outside the state. Shirley Brekken is the Executive Director of the Minnesota Board of Nursing. She's on the line now.
May 23, 2001 - Medtronic reported strong year-end earnings yesterday , despite a slowdown in some of its key businesses. The Fridley based medical device company also said it will trim its workforce by about 450 jobs, or less than two percent of the worldwide total. Minnesota Public Radio's Andrew Haeg reports.
May 23, 2001 -
May 24, 2001 - Negotiators with the Minnesota Nurses Assocation and 12 Twin Cities hospitals will resume talks today (thursday) about a new contract. 7,700 nurses have notified the hospitals that they'll strike if they don't get the contract they want by June first. Both sides are optimistic they can avert a strike if negotiations go well over the next two days. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
May 28, 2001 - Most Minnesota hunters take to the fields in the fall, hoping to bag a deer, ducks, pheasants or grouse. But a growing number of hunters are heading for the woods in the spring in search of the wild turkey. Wild turkeys once inhabited only extreme southeastern Minnesota, but with human help their range has expanded far beyond what most experts thought possible just a few years ago. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.
May 29, 2001 -
May 30, 2001 - Medtronic says it will spend more than three and a half BILLION dollars to get into the diabetes (die-ah-BEE-tees) treatment business. The Fridley-based medical device giant is buying "MiniMed, Incorporated," a maker of insulin pumps and glucose monitors AND the much smaller -- "Medical Research Group," which is developing an implantable insulin system. Medtronic says with the two Los Angeles-based companies it can begin serving the enormous and rapidly-growing diabetes market. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports...
June 1, 2001 - As populations decline in rural areas, providing access to medical care becomes more difficult. Medical providers attending a rural technology conference this week in Fargo had a chance to see how technology can improve access and quality of care. Mainstreet Radios Dan Gunderson reports.
June 1, 2001 - The Minnesota Nurses' Association is getting ready to present contract proposals from 7 Twin Cities hospitals to 5500 nurses over the next two days. While the bargaining units for the hospitals and the union seem optimistic that the rank and file membership will approve the agreements, some nurses are expressing disappointment. Since the hospitals and union started contract talks in February, nurses have been asking for better working conditions and higher pay. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...
June 1, 2001 - A scheduled strike by registered nurses at 7 Twin Cities Hospitals is now off after a long night of negotiations. Officials with the Minnesota Nurses Association and 7 Twin Cities hospitals have averted a strike, at least for now. A spokewsoman with the Minnesota Nurses Association says they're delaying their strike plans for most of the hospitals until 5:30 Sunday morning so the nurses can review the new contract proposals from the hospitals and schedule votes for tomorrow. Minnesota Public Radio's Tom Scheck reports...