BREAKING: Aspirus St. Luke’s hospital nurses pull ULP strike notice with pending deal; Essentia nurses and APPs prepare for action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact: Shannon Cunningham
651-269-1418
Shannon.Cunningham@mnnurses.org

 

(Duluth, MN) – July 3, 2025 – Today, after months of contentious bargaining with hospital executives, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) at Aspirus St. Luke’s hospital have pulled their 10-day strike notice and cancelled their Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike. Nurses negotiated for more than 30 straight hours leading to a pending tentative agreement, with minor details left to finalize early next week.

Nurses have agreed to cancel their ULP strike after significant movement was made across the bargaining table. Details of the agreement will be shared once a tentative agreement is finalized.

While hospital nurses in the Twin Cities and at Aspirus St. Luke’s have reached agreements, the fight continues. MNA members at Essentia Duluth and Superior hospitals, Essentia 1st Street Clinic, 2nd Street Clinic, 3rd Street Clinic, Superior Clinic, Solvay Hospice House, and Miller Hill Surgery Center are set to go out on a ULP strike on Tuesday, July 8. Essentia’s East Market Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) are scheduled to go out on a ULP strike on Thursday, July 10.

“Nurses will continue to stand with our union siblings at Essentia facilities, united in the fight for a fair bargaining process—and for clinic nurses and APPs that means winning their first contracts,” said MNA President Chris Rubesch, RN. “If Aspirus can come to the table to negotiate in good faith with nurses, Essentia can come to the table and negotiate in good faith as well.”