Miller Hill Surgery Center and nurses and other healthcare workers at Essentia Solvay Hospice House overwhelmingly vote to unionize

(Duluth) – May 31, 2024 – Registered Nurses (RNs) at Essentia Miller Hill Surgery Center and nurses and other healthcare workers at Essentia Solvay Hospice House announced today that they voted overwhelmingly to form unions represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) to gain a collective voice in their workplaces to improve working conditions and how care is provided to their patients.

At Essentia Solvay Hospice House, workers across the board, including RNs, Licensed Practical Nurses, Nursing Assistants, Administrative Assistants, Environmental Services workers, and Cooks, voted in a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election on Wednesday, May 29 to unionize with MNA.

“We organized because we wanted a voice so we can advocate for our patients and ourselves,” said Andrew Dennis, RN at Essentia Solvay Hospice House.

“We felt we weren’t being listened to,” said JeanAnn Norton, LPN at Essentia Solvay Hospice House. “So we organized so that we could have our voices heard.”

RNs at Essentia Miller Hill Surgery Center voted in an NLRB election on Thursday, May 30 to unionize with MNA because of the same concerns with working conditions, scheduling, and patient care conditions.

“Joining MNA brings security, fairness, and guidelines of a mutually respected future,” said Trina Storck, RN at Essentia Miller Hill Surgery Center.

Workers at each facility filed for election last month. These workers join those at Essentia Health Duluth 1^st Street Clinic and 2^nd Street Clinic who voted to join MNA earlier this year. The Essentia East Market Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) have also filed for a union election with the NLRB to unionize with MNA and are working to get to a vote despite continued resistance and roadblocks from Essentia executives.

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