Essentia Files Unfair Labor Charge Following MNA’s Call to Strike

DULUTH, Minn. — Essentia Health has filed an unfair labor practice charge after the Minnesota Nurses Association failed to include them in their strike notice.

The filing comes after MNA nurses at 16 different hospitals in the Twin Cities, Twin Ports, and Moose Lake announced a three-day strike, starting on September 12th.

The MNA and the hospitals have spent more than five months in contract negotiations that fell flat.

This strike will become the largest private-sector nurses’ strike in U.S. history, with 15,000 nurses involved.

The two major hospitals in the Twin Ports say that this strike will be illegal, and they’ve filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board.

A press release from Essentia reads in part, quote:

“Essentia Health has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the national labor relations board, following the MNA’s failure to include Essentia-Duluth among the list of facilities in its 10-day strike notice. The union also failed to follow the requirements outlined in the national labor relations act requiring it to provide strike notice to all relevant stakeholders, including federal and state mediation services that could potentially assist the parties in reaching a mutually beneficial agreement. That prompted Essentia and other Minnesota health systems to file an unfair labor practice charge last week.” end quote.

MNA Vice President, Chris Rubesch, provided us a response that reads in part, quote:

“This is yet another desperate move by Minnesota hospital executives, unprepared to reckon with the power of 15,000 nurses standing firm to demand better care and working conditions in our hospitals. The National Labor Relations board requires notification only of the date and time that picketing will commence, which the Minnesota nurses association provided to Essentia Health. There is no requirement that a union provide notice of the locations at which it intends to picket. Right now, our Essentia Health negotiating team is waiting to meet with hospital executives at the negotiations table.” end quote.

St Luke’s provided a written statement that reads in part, quote:

“The MNA is planning an illegal strike, and we expect they will not ask nor expect their union members to participate in an illegal strike. However, if the MNA moves forward, St. Luke’s will be fully prepared for a 3-day strike starting this Monday. We are bringing in replacement nurses, who will join many of our expert inpatient team members, to care for our patients. We will be fully open for all inpatient, emergency and clinic-based care, although we may reschedule some non-urgent surgeries and procedures. Patients should arrive as scheduled unless they hear differently from their provider.”

We will continue providing updates on this story as it unfolds.