Pragmatism and Principles

Pragmatism: (noun) a practical, matter-of-fact way of approaching or assessing situations or of solving problems.

Principle: (noun) the collectivity of moral or ethical standards or judgments; such as a decision based on principle rather than expediency.

Through a varied existence, I have been rewarded with many experiences that have brought profound changes in my life.

Through my volunteering on political campaigns, I have met a score of wonderful people whom I continue to admire greatly. One of these individuals is Jim Cohen. Jim ran as a Pragmatic Progressive against Mike Cerisi, Al Franken, and Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer for the DFL nomination for U.S. Senate. Through a hard-fought but unsuccessful campaign, I learned more in the course of a year from Mr. Cohen about politics and pragmatism than most people would ever learn in their lives. Although gaining knowledge was important, the greatest accomplishment was gaining a life long friend whom I respect and admire greatly.

Another opportunity was serving on the Twin Cities Hospitals Contract Negotiations Team this past year. It was an honor that my co-workers at Methodist Hospital granted me, and turned out to be one of the most rewarding and stressful times of my life. After many months and many stressful and long negotiation sessions, we as a member team chosen by you, won a hard fought contract that will cover and protect us for the next twenty-six months.

The first goal that I set for myself upon being chosen to serve on the team was to put aside my hopes for this contract, listen to others, and find out about their situations in a pragmatic approach that would look at each issue in a constructive manner.

I spoke to many members about what was most important to them in the contract. I heard from many of you about the struggles you faced in trying to pay bills, put kids through college, and just trying to make ends meet. I heard from members who could not afford to pay for the health insurance premiums to cover their own families. It was during these times that I truly learned the difference as well as the relationship between pragmatism and principles.

It was frustrating knowing that we would not be able to win everything for everyone. The nation was entering a time of economic calamity. Unemployment was becoming a national problem, with many of us having friends and family members entering a period of joblessness and uncertainty. Governor Pawlenty was slashing the state budget through his un-allotments that was having a detrimental affect on the employer. All of these things together would form a Perfect Storm that would ultimately leave us with the contract we achieved.

Each day Jim Dawson, the attorney for the hospitals, would remind us of the headlines in the newspaper. “Massive job cuts! No money in the state budget! The Hospitals have no money!” Although serious in nature, it became almost predictably humorous to all of us on the team of which headline he would read to us at the start of each negotiation session.

In many sessions, our lead negotiator, Kevin Kuehn, would remind the employers team that all of the members of SEIU desired nothing more than to see the Hospitals become economically successful, but with that in mind the members in turn deserved a great deal of credit in the success that our employers achieved, and should share in that success.

Everyone on the team knew we would not be able to make all of the members happy with what would be the final agreement, but we also knew that we could not afford to cave in to the employers’ demands of nothing for thirty-six months.

Many times it appeared we would meet an impasse and be forced to face an uncertain fate with a federal mediator. Team members would argue, throw out ideas for consideration, and call back the employers into the room to try to agree on each contractual point. Each demand was discussed and debated, and eventually we would work through each frustrating point with creative negotiation tactics that each team member helped with. Each of these tactics was truly in the spirit of pragmatism.

In the end, we were left with a contract that we all felt was the best we could achieve and brought it you, the members, to decide if it was something you could live with. Overwhelmingly you voted yes, and soon each of us will have a hard copy of what was approved.

Principles of wanting only the best for each of you; the members, was what I had in mind each day. Principles of hoping to educate each of you by sharing my knowledge on these pages is the reason I write this column. The principles of hope that one day, each union member in this nation will not be forced to decide between food, rent or health insurance is why I will continue to fight for this union, and all working brothers and sisters in this world until the day I die.

It is with these principles that I will enter this new decade with the hope that with pragmatism and principles with a healthy dose of solidarity, each of us can benefit from our continued struggles.

Solidarity Today! Solidarity Tomorrow! And Solidarity Always!...

In All Ways!


Yours in solidarity and SEIU Pride;

Mark Freeman
Methodist Hospital