Essentia Open House Attracts Hundreds and Picketers As Well

DULUTH, MINN. — After decades of talking and planning, four years of actual construction, and $900 million dollars later, the new Essentia St. Marys Hospital is just days away from accepting its first patients.

Essentia opened the doors of its new hospital for the public to stop by and take a look and learn about the new facility. Before the doors even opened a spokesperson for Essentia said more than 100 people were in line. It reminded him of past Black Fridays.

More than 1.200 people had gone through the hospital by early afternoon and their reactions were very positive.

Sandy O’Leary, a former employee was one of the hundreds that toured the building. “I thought it was fabulous I worked in the system for over 42 years, retired for 12.  I know this has been in the planning for many years and this is just fabulous, so exciting.”

The Sperl Family also toured the new St. Mary’s, “I thought it was really cool, it was really pretty, yeah. Oh, it was wonderful, it was really beautiful. We went to the birthplace and it was just like a bright place to have your children. and all of our kids were born at the old St. Mary’s and so this is just a fabulous place to have a baby and to be if you have to heal”

While inside the building it was a festive feel, on the sidewalk in front, it was a different feeling.

The president of the Minnesota Nures Association, Mary C. Turner explained her organization’s feelings about the nurse’s contra, “You may stop us at the bargaining table, you may stop us in the legislature, but you will never stop us from being out on the streets advocating for our patients. Because there’s the sacred bond between the nurses and the patients and that’s a sacred bond and we will fight, and fight, and fight. So you can keep trying to defeat us, but you will never win because if we have to go to the public, that’s what we’ll do.”

Also picketing in front of the new St.Mary’s were members of Lccal 9460 which represents technicians at Essentia. The local and the company just started negotiations two weeks ago. “Everything we’re doing out here is for the patients. We believe that the proposal the employer has on the table could lead to some patient safety issues, so we’re hoping the employer will be willing to negotiate over that.,” said Tuan Vu, president of Local 9460.

Louie St. George, an Essentia spokesperson commented on all that was taking place at the facility, “We certainly respect our colleague’s right to do informational picketing. This is not unusual during bargaining. Our focus today is really showcasing this facility and welcoming our community in for the first time, ” said St. George.

The new St. Mary’s hospital will begin having patients a week from Sunday on July 30th when everyone at the old hospital will be moved to the new hospital.