Even though a majority of nurses in the Minnesota Nurses Association appear poised to begin an open-ended strike on July 6 that could potentially cause major disruptions for the Twin Cities hospitals involved, there remain a few who feel conflicted over such a proposed action. Some, according to a report in the Minneapolis Star Tribune, have taken to the Internet, rallying together at the site Nostrikefornurses Blog, which was created as an opposition option.
"We say we're striking for patients, but we're sticking them right in the middle of this nasty fight," the creator of the site, who asked to remain anonymous, tells the Tribune. "It's not the right thing to do."
The site provides everything from media contact information and updated strike news to advice on what to do should a nurse choose to defy the union and go to work during the strike, the latter provided by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation. The site also provides anonymity for participants who fear retribution.
Despite the safety concerns, though, not everyone defying the MNA feels the need to remain unidentified. Keith Rischer, a nurse with Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, calls the strike "ethically unprofessional," and feels that nurses need to start acting like the health professionals they're supposed to be.
"Though I do not agree with every proposal of [the hospitals], we must remember that as professional nurses, our primary commitment is to our patients, not our union," Rischer says.
To learn more:
- read this Minneapolis Star Tribune article
- here's an accompanying article from the Tribune
- check out the blog site