MAPLE GROVE, Minn – (May 6, 2026) – Nearly 600 nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association are set to vote on Monday, May 11, on whether to authorize an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike at North Memorial Health’s Maple Grove Hospital. This vote comes after more than a year of contract negotiations and multiple unfair labor practices targeting union supporters and delaying progress at the bargaining table. Nurses say the strike authorization vote is in response to these ULPs. Nurses are seeking a fair first contract and greater accountability from hospital leadership.
If nurses approve the strike authorization, their elected bargaining team would have the authority to call a strike with the required notice. A strike authorization vote is not a work stoppage. The vote gives the negotiating team the ability to act if necessary. If called, this would be the first strike in Maple Grove Hospital’s history.
“This vote reflects how seriously we are taking the conditions we are facing,” said Lisa Groebner, RN and negotiating team member. “We’ve raised concerns over how Maple Grove nurses are being treated during this process. We’re also continuing to work toward a contract that supports retention and patient care. This vote gives our team the authority to act if that’s what it takes to reach a fair agreement.”
Concerns at the table
Negotiations began in May 2025. Since then, nurses have pushed for safer staffing, equal pay and benefits with North Memorial’s Robbinsdale hospital nurses, and protections in case of a sale or merger. Nurses say key proposals have been waiting for months without substantive response, which has slowed progress on issues affecting patient care and staff retention. These concerns are not limited to proposals at the table but also include how nurses are treated during this process.
Nurses held an informational picket in March to raise concerns about staffing pressures, turnover, and stalled progress at the bargaining table. They say little movement has been made in negotiations since.
One system, disparate outcomes
Despite North Memorial Health’s public statements about financial challenges, Maple Grove Hospital continues to report strong financial revenue and operating income. In 2025, the hospital had nearly $290 million in patient revenue and about $34 million in operating income, with around $49 million transferred to the larger health system.
At the same time, North Memorial Health is moving forward with a $450 million expansion at Maple Grove and is growing the system through acquisitions. Nurses say these investments show that resources are available — but are not being used to address frontline staffing and nurse retention, driving turnover that destabilizes care teams and directly impacts the continuity of patient care.
Nurses also point to disparities between Maple Grove and Robbinsdale. Nurses at Maple Grove do the same work, but receive lower net pay, fewer benefits, and lack contract protections. These differences lead to higher turnover and make it harder to keep experienced nurses at the bedside.
“I came to Maple Grove with more than a decade of experience, and I love the work and the people here,” said Alexie Rehwaldt, RN. “I am earning thousands less per year than I did at North Memorial Robbinsdale because the differences in overtime, holiday pay and other shift differentials, it has been very costly to my family. When experienced nurses are asked to accept lower pay and weaker benefits to do the same work, it affects whether they stay. Retention matters for patients — it’s what ensures continuity, trust and consistent care.”
What this means for patients
Nurses say the strike authorization vote reflects growing frustration over ongoing disparities and the lack of progress on core contract issues. They are calling on North Memorial Health to stop treating nurses engaged in union activity unfairly and to respond meaningfully to proposals that have been on the table for months.
