CAMERAS AND WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THE REPUBLICAN MIDTERM CONVENTION >> Eric: WE START TO BE TONIGHT WITH ALLINA HEALTH.

ALLINA DOCTORS FROM MERCY HOSPITAL IN COON RAPIDS AND UNITY CAMPUS IN FRIDLEY HAVE FILED NOTICE THEY WILL STRIKE ON MONDAY.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE START TONIGHT.

DR.

JOHN WOOSTT III IS AN ALLINA EMPLOYEE AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL, BEEN IN TALKS WITH THE UNION, ALONGSIDE HIM IS DR.E PRESIDENT OF MEDICAL AFFAIRS AT MERCY HOSPITAL.

DR.

WOOSTT, WE HEARD THIS WEEK THAT THE DOCTORS WANT A SEAT AT THE TABLE.

>> THAT IS CORRECT.

>> Eric: WOULD YOU FLESH THAT OUT FOR US?

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN EXACTLY?

WHAT'S MISSING?

>> THE MAIN THING WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS PHYSICIAN INPUT INTO DECISIONS THAT AFFECT OUR PATIENTS AND AFFECT PATIENT CARE AND WE'D LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN PHYSICIAN AUTONOMY, ESPECIALLY WITH THE A.I.

TOOLS THAT ARE COMING ALONG HAT MAY INFLUENCE HOW WE COMPARE FOR PATIENTS.

>> Cathy: SOME PEOPLE DR.

MACGREGOR WOULD SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, I THOUGHT MY DOCTOR HAD A SEAT AT THE TABLE AND WAS ADVOCATING ON MY BEHALF, THAT'S NOT HAPPENING?

>> AND I WOULD AGREE WITH THOSE PEOPLE THAT SAY DOCTORS, WE ARE PRIVILEGED TO HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE NOW.

JOHN, T'S A PLEASURE TO DO THIS WITH YOU, I LIKE AND RESPECT YOU A GREAT DEAL BUT MOST TUESDAYS AFTER UR CLINICAL WORK OR DURING LUNCH WE HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE TOGETHER IN THE DOCTORS' LOUNGE AND TALK ABOUT ISSUES AND ELP EACH OTHER.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THOSE TABLES AT ALIGNA.

THERE'S ALSO DR.

WOOST IS AN OBGYN AND THERE'S A LONG HISTORY, WE HAVE AN OBGYN WHO MADE HER WAY TO BE OUR CEO FOR MANY YEARS, DR.

PENNY WHEELER.

SO I THINK DOCTORS USING A SEAT AT THE TABLE IS A LONG AND PROUD HISTORY.

I DON'T THINK THE PROCESS WE HAVE NOW ADDS TO THAT AND I THINK IF IN MANY WAYS IT MAKES IT HARDER FOR US TO COMMUNICATE.

>> DR.

WOOSTT DID BRING UP THAT THERE'S A.I.

ON THE HORIZON OR ACTUALLY A.I.

IS BEING USED RIGHT NOW IN CLINICAL ROOMS AND ACROSS THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

AND I'M WONDERING, I UNDERSTAND THAT SUTOR HEALTH WHICH WANTS TO ACQUIRE ALLINA WANTS TO USE A.I.

TO REDUCE ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN.

I CAN SEE WHY SOME DOCTORS MIGHT BE WORRIED ABOUT THIS.

>> AND I THINK CONCERNS ABOUT THE FUTURE OF A.I.

IS SOMETHING WE ALL SHARE.

I JUST WANT TO PIVOT BACK TO WHAT A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT IS AND WHAT IT'S NOT.

A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT IS A CHANCE TO EFINE THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT BETWEEN TWO PARTIES, THE EMPLOYER AND THE UNION.

THAT'S IT.

WE DON'T GET A AY IN CHATGPT, WE DON'T GET A SAY IN GOOGLE OR ANY OF THE OTHER USES.

SO I THINK THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN SHARE AS CONCERNS FOR THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE BUT THE CONSTRAINTS OF A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT DON'T ALLOW US TO GO INTO SOME OF THE QUITE HONESTLY THE FOLLY THAT WE HEAR ABOUT WHAT HIS UNION MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO OR NOT DO.

>> Eric: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY IN RESPONSE?

>> WITHOUT A UNION ALLINA IS AN AT-WILL EMPLOYER.

WHAT DOCTORS FEAR IF THEY BRING THINGS UP THAT ARE ADVOCATING FOR THEIR OWN ATIENT, THAT THEY MAY BE DISCIPLINED IN SOME WAY OR REPRIMANDED IN SOME WAY, AND WITHOUT UNION PROTECTIONS WE FEEL LIKE WE REALLY CAN'T ADVOCATE OPTIMALLY FOR OUR PATIENTS.

>> AND IF I COULD, MILTON FREEDMAN FELT LIKE THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION WAS THE STRONGEST LABOR UNION IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.

SO DOCTORS, WE HAVE A VERY UNIQUE POSITION GIVING OUR TRAINING, OUR CERTIFICATION, BOARD CERTIFICATION, A LOT OF THE PRIVILEGES THAT DOCTORS COUNCILS DESCRIBING WE ALREADY HAVE GIVEN THERE ARE SO FEW DOCTORS AT SUCH A GREAT NEED GENERATES HIGH INCOMES AND TREMENDOUS DEMAND IN THE MARKETPLACE.

I DO NOT THINK A UNION ADDS TO THAT.

>> Cathy: SPEAKING OF INCOME, AS YOU KNOW, DOCTOR, AALLINA, OTHER HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS ARE FACING FINANCIAL PRESSURES.

HOW OES THAT ISSUE UNDERSCORE SOME OF THESE NEGOTIATIONS?

>> WELL, ONE OF HE THING THAT'S WE'RE FIGHTING FOR IS FOR ALLINA TO HONOR THE MINNESOTA ESST OR EARNED SAFE AND SICK TIME LAW.

WE HAVE PHYSICIANS ON STAFF WHO WHEN THEY'RE SICK DON'T GET PAID.

AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION BETWEEN GOING TO WORK SICK OR DOING WHAT'S BEST FOR THEIR PATIENT.

AND IT'S NOT A GOOD DECISION TO HAVE TO MAKE.

>> Eric: WHAT PLANS ARE IN PLACE TO COVER IF THERE IS A STRIKE, COVER THE VARIOUS PARTS OF THE OPERATION?

>> WELL, I'M EXCITED THAT I GET TO BARGAIN WITH PEOPLE LIKE JOHN ON SUNDAY.

AND I'M CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC, WE MAY BELIEVE GET THIS DONE.

IF WE DON'T WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS.

WE HAVE NO CURTAILMENT IN SERVICES.

WE HAVE MANY PHYSICIANS THROUGHOUT ALLINA HEALTH AT OTHER PARTS OF OUR SYSTEM WHO HAVE EAGERLY VOLUNTEERED TO SUPPORT US.

WE ALSO HAVE A THIRD, ONE-THIRD OF THE BARGAINING UNIT WHO'S CROSSED AND ANOTHER THIRD HO WERE NEVER SCHEDULED TO WORK NEXT WEEK ANYWAY.

WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, WE WANT TO TAKE CARE OF OUR COMMUNITY BUT WE'D SURE LOVE TO GET THIS DONE AND AVOID STRIKE.

>> Cathy: IT'S A POWERFUL STATEMENT WHEN YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF MEN AND WOMEN IN WHITE COATS WALKING PICKET LINES, IT'S NOT A GOOD LOOK.

>> LOOKS HORRIBLE.

BUT THAT'S LESS THAN 10% OF ACTIVE MEDICAL STAFF IS IN THE UNION, AND EVEN WITH A STRIKE THAT WOULD BE LESS THAN 4% WHO WOULD GO ON STRIKE IN, INSTEAD OF PERFORMING CLINICAL DUTIES.

SO IT'S A MINORITY, AN IMPORTANT MINORITY BUT A SMALL MINORITY.

OUR EADERSHIP TEAM, ALLINA PHYSICIANS FROM OTHER ITES ARE TRUSTED AND VALUED PRIVATE PHYSICIANS, WE HAVE A LOT OF PRIDE IN MERCY CAMPUS AND WE WILL BE AT WORKING TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS.

>> Cathy: DR.

WOOSTT, WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY ALLINA IS A GREAT ORGANIZATION AND BEEN BUILT WITH MANY PHYSICIANS OVER THE YEARS AND I 100% SUPPORT MY ORGANIZATION.

I ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I'M VERY PROUD OF THE PHYSICIANS I WORK WITH THAT HAVE STOOD UP TO THE THREATS ON THE HORIZON TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR PATIENTS AND CONTINUE OUR ONORED TRADITION OF CARING FOR OTHERS.

>> Cathy: CAN I ASK ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS, BUT BECAUSE SUTOR HEALTH AGAIN WANTS TO ACQUIRE ALLINA IS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GET AN AGREEMENT, LABOR AGREEMENT BEFORE THAT ACQUISITION IS SETTLED?

>> WELL, WE WOULD LIKE SUTOR HEALTH TO SIGN A COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT WHICH INCLUDES HONORING ALL OUR CURRENT UNION CONTRACTS WITH OUR NURSES AND OTHER WORKERS AT THE HOSPITAL AND PART OF THAT OF COURSE WOULD BE OUR AGREEMENT HOPEFULLY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SETTLE WITH OUR PHYSICIANS.

>> Cathy: SUTTER DOES NOT I UNDERSTAND HAVE A SINGLE SYSTEMWIDE DOCTORS SYSTEM.

SOME AFFILIATE GROUPS, THOUGH.

HOW IS SUTTER WHEN IT COMES TO LABOR ISSUES?

IS THIS A POTENTIAL ISSUE?

>> YEAH, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE SO EXCITED ABOUT UR PARTNER SUTTER.

SUTTER HEALTH HAS A -- CALIFORNIA HAS A LOT OF THE SAME CULTURALLY STRONG HISTORY OF LABOR UNIONS IN CALIFORNIA SO I THINK THIS IS A PARTNER THAT WILL REALLY UNDERSTAND MINNEAPOLIS AND MINNESOTA AND BE A GREAT PARTNER FOR US.

THE, THERE'S SOME STATE LAWS IN CALIFORNIA THAT DON'T ALLOW PHYSICIANS TO WORK DIRECTLY FOR A HOSPITAL, SO THEY HAVE WHAT ARE CALLED HEALTH GROUPS, AND THE HEALTH GROUPS HAVE THE PHYSICIANS ACTUALLY EMBEDDED AS PARTNERS WITHIN THAT GROUP SO THEY'RE NOT -- IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT IN MINNESOTA.

THEY'RE NOT ABLE IN CALIFORNIA AS PHYSICIANS TO ORGANIZE OR GO ON STRIKE.

INTERESTINGLY THE ONE EXCEPTION WOULD BE AN ACADEMIC MEDICAL CENTERS, AND THEIR FEDERAL FACILITIES LIKE THE V.A.

THE V.A., THE UNION DOES NOT ALLOW DOCTORS TO STRIKE.

>> Cathy: THERE IS A NEGOTIATING SESSION THIS COMING SUNDAY.

AND IF IT DOESN'T WORK YOU'RE GOING TO WALK OUT ON MONDAY?

>> YES.

>> Eric: WOW.

BEST OF LUCK AT THE TABLE.

>> AND WE'RE OPEN FOR BUSINESS, HOWEVER IT GOES.

I KNOW JOHN AND I CAN DO