Montana Annual Book of Reports 2015

Montana Nurses Association
2015 Annual Book of Reports
Labor Department Annual Report
Robin Haux, Labor Program Director
Your MNA Labor Department has grown over the past year! We were thrilled to
add a third Labor Representative to assist with providing the best representation
we can. Our staff includes Amy Hauschild, Eastern Labor Representative, Caroline
Baughman, Western/Central Labor Representative, and Sandi Luckey, Western/
Central Labor Representative. Each staff member brings different experiences
to our team. Through a highly collaborative approach, we’ve achieved more
successes in addressing the nursing issues facing nurses every day.
Our goal continues to be increasing our success at the bargaining table, improving our representation of
members, providing local units with the tools to be self-sufficient, and encouraging advocacy through
legislation.
We continue to be effective in bargaining our successor agreements. However, our contract negotiations
continue to be more difficult and take longer. Your MNA labor staff encourages all our members to
stay involved, to stay informed, and to advocate for your profession and your patients. The current
labor climate continues to fight for benefits, better staffing, and a voice in patient care. Advocacy and
collective action strengthens our local units and this through involvement, our members can and do
impact the results at the bargaining table.
MNA’s collective bargaining membership is growing! In 2015, we added two new locals! Fresenius in
Bozeman and the Montana Mental Health Care Center in Lewistown. We welcome all our new members
to the MNA family! We also have two additional organizing campaigns underway!
Our ability to effectively communicate is expanding! We have made significant strides in the number of
local units utilizing technology advancements to distribute information. Our local units are using more
social media, email, and text messaging as a way to inform and gain feedback from nurses. Conference
calls, webinars, and online meetings have also allowed us to reach more of our members more of the
time, facilitating an increase in participation and advocacy.
Our legislative involvement is opening new possibilities! For the first time, MNA is launching a campaign
to pass a bill in the next Legislative Session making workplace violence that involves assault with the
intent to do harm, a crime against healthcare workers. The goal of Your Nurse Wears Combat Boots is
to educate lawmakers and the public about the experiences of nurses in order to build awareness and
support. Nurses continue to be ranked the most trusted profession which makes the testimony of nurses a
powerful force in the policy and lawmaking process, not just for the protection of fellow nurses but also in
advocating for patients and families.
Your MNA Labor Team is excited to continue working hard for you! We look forward to building more
strength through unity in the coming year!
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