Minnesota Nurses Association announces agreement with Essentia for acute care nurses; other strikes loom
DULUTH, Minn. – The Minnesota Nurses Association and Essentia Health have reached a tentative agreement, averting the strike for acute care nurses in the area.
The agreement affects roughly 1,500 Essentia Health hospital nurses at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center, Essentia Health-Duluth and Essentia Health St. Mary’s Hospital-Superior.
According to a release from the MNA the agreement includes updates to staffing language, including a one-year freeze on reductions to current staffing ratios, protected Labor Management Committee language, and a wage increase of 9.75% spread over the three years of the contract.
The MNA will hold a ratification vote in the coming weeks, but this is only for acute care nurses.
Bargaining is continuing for units pursuing their first contracts, such as Ambulatory Nurses, at the Duluth Clinics, St. Mary’s Superior, Surgery Center at Miller Hill, and Solvay Hospice.
They are set to strike Tuesday July 8th.
Essentia’s Advanced Practice Providers are also set to strike Thursday, July 10th, but Essentia is working to minimize disruption to patient care.
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