Twin Cities nurses reach tentative deal to avert strike, union says; Duluth-area strike may proceed
The Minnesota Nurse Association, which represents 15,000 nurses across 13 hospitals in the Twin Cities and Duluth area, announced the deal on Thursday morning, which resolves the planned unfair labor practices strike its members voted overwhelmingly in favor for late last month.
The agreement, according to the association, includes "new language to implement Minnesota's new break law, tools to address workplace violence, a raise of 3% in the first year 4% in the second, and 3% in the third."
The association says thousands of the metro health care workers it represents have been working without a contract for months, including some whose contract just expired on Monday.
The union has accused Twin Cities providers — including Allina Health, Children's Minnesota, M Health Fairview, HealthPartners and North Memorial Health — of refusing to bargain in good faith, withholding information and attempting to undermine workers' rights.
WCCO
Roadblocks to the agreement, according to the union, have included proposed policies from hospitals to cap sick time at 48 hours a year, cancel shifts at a moment's notice, cut overtime pay and switch workers to a higher-cost health care plan.
The previous agreement, reached in December 2022, also averted a planned strike, but the union went on to accuse hospitals of ignoring contract language concerning staffing ratios. It's unclear how the new tentative agreement addresses that concern.
Duluth-area health care workers set to strike next week
The association's Duluth-area nurses, however, are still in the midst of negotiations that began in April.
Its members, who work for Aspirus St. Luke's Hospital and Essentia Health, have been working without a contract since Monday.
The association says those nurses are still set to strike on July 8, and advanced practice providers will join them two days later.
WCCO has reached out to the hospitals involved for comment.
This story will be updated.
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is June 24, 2025.
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