Contact: Carol Feuss
Labor Communications Specialist
Michigan Nurses Association
517/349-5640, ext. 21 or (cell) 517/230-4086
carol.feuss@minurses.org
November 7, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Michigan Nurses Association Reaches Out,
Honors Nurses
Okemos, MI -- Michigan Nurses Association union
members approved two new initiatives at their annual
business meeting in October.
An MNA Mobilization Fund will be established to
enable MNA to solidify its future as the union for
RNs in Michigan by growing through organizing, by
servicing and leading, and by aggressively fighting
competing unions who engage in hostile behavior.
This segregated fund will be expended solely for
organizing non-unionized RNs in Michigan, and for
local or regional labor leader training. A task
force was also established to develop a plan to
include MNA RN member volunteers in emergency management
disaster relief efforts.
The MNA membership also recognized the accomplishments
of three union members. The recipients of the 2005
Economic and General Welfare (E&GW) Achievement
awards were:
Amy Pfeifer-Twite is an Emergency
Room RN at Alpena Regional Medical Center, and the
mother of five children, ages 4 through 22. As President-Elect
of the local staff council, Pfeifer-Twite was instrumental
in coordinating an informational rally at Alpena
as well as recruiting nurses to walk in the Fourth
of July parade. She has been a fearless supporter
of a strong nursing voice at Alpena. “When
you’re passionate and have a drive for things,
you can make it happen!” Pfeifer-Twite stated.
“If I want my organization to represent me,
I have to help my organization represent me,”
explained Gail Fisher of Lansing.
Fisher has been a tireless worker at Sparrow Hospital
and a long-time active MNA member. She has served
in a variety of roles, including holding positions
on the E&GW Cabinet along with her current role
as Central Chapter (6) president. “What a
blessing it is to have an organization like this,”
she commented during her acceptance speech.
Robert Ehnis, also of Sparrow
Hospital, was recognized for his years of work in
the Professional Employees Council of Sparrow Hospital
(PECSH).
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The Michigan Nurses
Association, nurses’ voice for 100 years,
is the largest nurses’ union in the State
of Michigan. The Michigan Nurses Association (MNA)
promotes the economic and general welfare of nurses
in the workplace, fosters high standards of nursing
practice, and lobbies the legislature and regulatory
agencies on health care issues affecting nurses
and recipients of nursing services. MNA is a constituent
member of the American Nurses Association and
the United American Nurses, as well as an affiliate
of the AFL-CIO.
