More than 12,000 nurses began a one-day strike Thursday at 14 Minneapolis area hospitals in a dispute over nurse-patient ratios and pension benefits. Nurses say they are being asked to care for too many patients at a time. The hospitals say that patients are safe and that the walkout is a headline-grabbing stunt to build membership and clout for a national nurses' union. The hospitals hired 2,800 replacement nurses, called in extra non-unionized staff, reduced patient levels and some hospitals rescheduled elective surgeries. (AP) þþ þ
Source: US Union Network
