Bargaining

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Contact: Shannon Cunningham

651-269-1418

Shannon.Cunningham@mnnurses.org

 

(Duluth, MN) – June 12, 2025 – Today, Minnesota nurses requested for a mediator to step in and help resolve contract negotiations with Essentia Health, following months of stonewalling and ongoing unfair labor practices that threaten patient safety. This rare step is to bring integrity back to the bargaining table. Nurses have also requested that Essentia withdraw all anti-union proposals put forth so far.

MNA’s request, delivered during the June 12 bargaining session today, reflects the union’s continued effort to reach a fair contract that prioritizes safe staffing levels and patient care.
… Read more about: MNA nurses request mediator as Essentia escalates anti-union tactics  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

 

(St. Paul) – June 4, 2025 – Thousands of nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) held an informational picket today at 11 Twin Cities hospitals and two Duluth hospitals to highlight issues at the core of their ongoing contract fight with hospital executives. Nurses across the state are in the midst of a staffing crisis and continue to cite staffing as their number one issue in bargaining. Having enough nurses per patient not only benefits patients, but it also reduces injury and violence on the job, keeps experienced nurses at the bedside, and saves healthcare systems desperately needed funds.
… Read more about: Nurses picket Twin Cities, Duluth hospitals as 15,000 seek new contracts that prioritize patient safety  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Laurie Laker
(c) 612-741-0662
laurie.laker@mnnurses.org

Shannon Cunningham 
(c) 61-269-1418
shannon.cunningham@mnnurses.org

(Duluth, MN) – May 8, 2025 – As Essentia Health executives prepare to conduct a press conference today, nurses are calling out what the hospital system is not doing: addressing the ongoing staffing crisis that is putting patients at risk.

“Essentia executives will make one thing clear today—they’d rather talk about nurses than with us,” said Chris Rubesch, an Essentia nurse and President of the Minnesota Nurses Association. “During National Nurses Week, they’re holding a press conference while refusing to fix the unsafe conditions nurses have raised for years.
… Read more about: Essentia Executives Choosing PR Over Patients, Say Nurses  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Laurie Laker
(c) 612-741-0662
laurie.laker@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – May 1, 2025 – Over 15,000 nurses in the Twin Cities and Duluth recently launched contract negotiations with one clear priority: improving staffing levels to ensure better care and safer hospitals.

Nurses are demanding action as hospitals continue to operate with unsafe staffing, compromising care and driving experienced nurses out of the profession. While hospital executives blame a “nurse shortage,” nurses know the truth: we have more licensed nurses than ever, but too many are unwilling to work in conditions created by corporate hospital leadership.
… Read more about: As bargaining continues, nurses share stories of ongoing crisis in Minnesota facilities.  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Laurie Laker
(c) 612-741-0662
laurie.laker@mnnurses.org

(Duluth) – April 23, 2025 – MNA nurses at Aspirus St. Luke’s launched contract bargaining today with the hospital, and are eager to address longstanding concerns around staffing levels and unsafe work conditions at the facility.

“MNA nurses appreciate the vision of Aspirus St. Luke’s which commits to patients, people and the community. Like Aspirus, MNA nurses have a guiding vision that is deeply rooted in patient care. Currently, the state of nursing in Minnesota is dire. The average number of adverse events is up in Minnesota hospitals, the cost of healthcare continues to rise, the number of nurses facing violence and injury is at an all-time high and nurses continue to flee the bedside due to unsafe conditions and staffing levels.
… Read more about: Aspirus St. Luke’s nurses launch bargaining, advocate for increased staffing to boost patient care and nurse safety  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laurie Laker
(c) 612-741-0662
laurie.laker@mnnurses.org

 

(St. Paul) – December 19, 2024 – Registered Nurses (RNs) in the Cath-Lab Department at Allina’s United Hospital have voted overwhelmingly to join the existing Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) bargaining unit at United Hospital in St. Paul.

The nurses’ decision to organize and seek union representation highlights their shared commitment to improving their workplace and patient care. Nurses in the Cath-Lab have had longstanding issues with hospital management, including no language around mandatory low needs, as well as having lost numerous shifts due to situations beyond their control.
… Read more about: Cath Lab nurses at Allina’s United Hospital overwhelmingly vote to join union  »

Contact:  Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

(St. Paul) – September 22, 2023 – On Thursday, an overwhelming majority of Allina’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) voted to be represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association.

“The conditions of our work have become unsustainable, as Allina has left us chronically short-staffed, leading to a high turnover rate. This means we can’t always respond to victims of violence, leaving them to either go to another hospital system or wait hours for a specialized nurse to respond. We want to be there for our patients who need our services, which is why we voted to have a collective voice in our workplace by unionizing with MNA,” said Stephanie Gunderson, an Allina SANE RN.
… Read more about: Allina Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners vote to affiliate with Minnesota Nurses Association  »

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

Staffing language will help ensure staffing levels do not get worse, give nurses a voice to advocate for safe patient care

Nurses will continue to fight to ensure safe staffing levels, oppose corporate healthcare in Minnesota

 

(St. Paul and Duluth) – December 14, 2022 – Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) at 15 hospitals in the Twin Cities and Twin Ports voted overwhelmingly to ratify new three-year contracts which include new language to address short-staffing by executives in our hospitals.
… Read more about: 15,000 nurses ratify contracts to address short staffing and retain nurses at the bedside, continue fight to put Patients Before Profits    »

MEDIA ADVISORY

Contact: Sam Fettig
(c) 612-741-0662
sam.fettig@mnnurses.org

Lauren Nielsen
(c) 651-376-9709
lauren.nielsen@mnnurses.org

 

(St. Paul) – December 13, 2022 – At 12:30 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, December 14, 2022, nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association will respond to the results of ratification votes by 15,000 nurses in the Twin Cities and Twin Ports on the tentative agreements for new three-year contracts reached last week.

Voting on contract ratification has been taking place this past Friday, yesterday, and today. Results will be shared at the Wednesday press conference where nurses will discuss next steps in the fight to put Patients Before Profits; details are included below.
… Read more about: TOMORROW: Nurses hold media availability on contract vote results and next steps  »