MNA Holds Rally Ahead of Monday’s Strike, Hospitals Prepare For Nursing Gap

DULUTH, Minn. – Beginning Monday at 7 a.m., approximately 15,000 nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association will go on strike, affecting many hospitals, including those in the twin ports. Earlier Sunday evening the MNA held a “Community Rally” at Duluth City Hall to raise awareness.

Nurses, some medical students, and community members were part of the event.

Speakers from the nurses association along with medical students talked about what they believe this strike means for not only nurses but the entire community.

“This is really at the core of what we are doing right? We’re looking for community we’re looking for solidarity and as medical students we’re here to show up for our nurses. They’re a part of our team and so seeing everyone here and how everyone is smiling, everyone’s got a smile on their face, it feels really good,” Medical Student, Dakota MacColl says.

Some medical students have also signaled support for the MNA strike.

between the u of m’s medical school in Duluth and the one in the twin cities, 131 students signed a letter supporting the nurses.

“It’s also important for the people who the nurses are bargaining with to see us all together and to see there are a lot of people showing up in solidarity and this is not just a nurses issue, this is a public health issue, this is a health care issue, this effects all of us and so I think if they are able to see how many bodies are here, that that would really push forward that point,” MacColl says.

The strike begins Monday at 7 a.m. and will run for three days.

Both Essentia Health and St. Luke’s released similar statements that they have plans in place to take care of the shortage of nurses within their hospitals.

Essentia Health says it is continuing contract negotiations with the MNA, but their hospitals in Duluth, Superior, and Moose Lake will remain open.

Essentia said in a statement sent on Friday that they have a wide range of contingencies to help them “maintain our high standards of patient care.”

That will include bringing in temporary and licensed nurses, and using other qualified staff to fill any needs. they add a small number of elective surgeries and appointments may need to be rescheduled.

Both Essentia Health and St. Luke’s have joined others in the Twin Cities that will impacted by the strike in filing an unfair labor practice charge with the national labor relations board.

They say the MNA did not follow the requirements needed to go on strike lawfully.

St. luke’s sent a statement on Sunday evening.

A representative said that they have already had two negotiation sessions in the past week.

Meanwhile, the hospital says its prepared for the strike with an agency filling in workers for the expected nursing shortage.

The rest of the statement reads in part quote:

“St. Luke’s will be open for all inpatient, emergency and clinic-based care. We have rescheduled some non-urgent surgeries and procedures. Affected patients have already been notified, and we appreciate their understanding.”

St. Luke’s has said that it believes the MNA’s demands are unreasonable, as the union wants a 36.5%  salary increase over 3 years which would mean a nurse making $50 an hour would make $70 an hour.