Massive Nurse Strike Likely Averted After Tentative Deals Reached

TWIN CITIES, MN — A potential strike involving 15,000 nurses will likely be averted after tentative agreements were reached between the Minnesota Nurses Union and several Minnesota hospitals.

"We are pleased to announce that St. Luke’s and MNA reached a tentative contract agreement," St. Luke's Hospital-Duluth said in a statement to Patch Tuesday morning.

"MNA has withdrawn its strike notice and will bring the contract to nurses for ratification in the near future."

Last week, nurses from the Twin Cities, Twin Ports, and Two Harbors voted to authorize a strike over labor conditions. Nurses can strike following a 10-day notice to the 16 hospitals involved in negotiations.

In addition to St. Luke's in Duluth, deals were also reached this week at Allina Health, Children's Minnesota, North Memorial Health, Methodist Hospital, Southdale Hospital, and the University of Minnesota Medical Center, the Star Tribune reported.

Negotiations continue at two Essentia Health hospitals, St. Luke's Hospital in Two Harbors, St. John's Hospital of Maplewood, and St. Joseph's Hospital of St. Paul.

The MNA and hospital executives have been locked in contract negotiations for eight months, with executive vs. nurse wages and chronic understaffing issues at the forefront.

Minnesota nurses already held a three-day strike in September, which is believed to be the largest strike of private-sector nurses in the nation's history. December's potential strike was expected to last indefinitely.

"Our hospitals are in crisis, and our CEOs have failed nurses and patients," Mary Turner — MNA president and a North Memorial Hospital nurse — said last week following to vote to authorize a strike.

"Nurses are fighting to win contracts that will help nurses stay on the job to provide patients with the exceptional care they deserve. Hospital CEOs with million-dollar salaries can afford to put Patients Before Profits in our hospitals and to do right by Minnesota nurses.”

Below are all of the hospitals impacted by a potential strike:

M Health Fairview

• Riverside
• Southdale
• St. Joseph's
• St. John's

Essentia Health

• St. Mary's Duluth
• St. Mary's Superior

HealthPartners

• Methodist

Allina Health

• Abbott Northwestern
• Mercy
• United
• Unity

Children's Hospitals

• Children's Minneapolis
• Children's St. Paul

North Memorial Hospital

St. Luke's

• St. Luke's Duluth
• Lake View Two Harbor