FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(St. Paul) – December 27, 2024 – This afternoon, a supermajority of Registered Nurses (RNs) from the North Memorial Health’s Maple Grove Hospital announced that they have organized and filed for an election vote to be represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA).
Nurses’ decision to organize and seek union representation highlights their shared commitment to improving their workplace, supporting fellow nursing staff, and prioritizing patient wellbeing and care at Maple Grove. Nurses at Maple Grove have a long and demonstrated history of providing excellent care for their patients, often providing such excellent care in spite of high demands on their time, capacity, and limited access to support resources. Repeated calls for hospital management to address nurse concerns have not brought about results or an improved response from hospital leadership, and so nurses have taken these necessary steps to address these concerns as a collective.
“Unionizing is not about conflict, but rather about collaboration. We are here to build a stronger, safer, and more equitable healthcare system for everyone,” said Lisa Groebner, RN in the Maple Grove NICU. “Nurses are the front line of care. We deserve more. We deserve a voice. It is time we have a seat at the table to advocate for ourselves and our patients.”
Nurses at Maple Grove are excited and empowered by their decision to seek MNA support and look forward to being able to negotiate employment terms, work conditions, and patient care standards, thus leading to greater job satisfaction, nurse retention, and quality patient care. The nurses filed for elections with the National Labor Relations Board last Friday, December 20, but election dates have yet to be determined.
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