Twin Cities nurses reach tentative deal to avert strike, union says; Duluth-area strike still possible
A Minnesota nurses union says it has reached a tentative deal with several Twin Cities health care providers to avert a strike after months of bargaining, but adds the fight continues for its Duluth-area members.
The , which represents 15,000 nurses across 13 hospitals in the Twin Cities and Duluth area, announced the deal on Thursday morning, which resolves the planned unfair labor practices strike its members voted overwhelmingly in favor for late last month.
The agreement, according to the association, includes "new language to implement Minnesota's new break law, tools to address workplace violence, a raise of 3% in the first year 4% in the second, and 3% in the third."
The association says thousands of the metro health care workers it represents have been working without a contract for months, including some whose contract just expired on Monday.
The union has accused Twin Cities providers — including Allina Health, Children's Minnesota, M Health Fairview, HealthPartners and North Memorial Health — of refusing to bargain in good faith, surveilling union conversations, ignoring requests to provide information necessary for bargaining and attempting to undermine workers' rights.
Members will need to vote on the proposed contract before it can be ratified. A vote date has yet to be set.
Twin Cities Hospital Group, which represents several metro area health care institutions including Children's Minnesota, M Health Fairview, HealthPartners and North Memorial Health, released this statement to WCCO on Thursday afternoon about the agreement:
"Today, our metro hospitals have moved forward with a new tentative agreement with our nurses' union that recognizes our nurses with a 10 percent wage increase over three years. Our goal with these negotiations was to provide for high-quality, affordable patient care that meets the needs of our community. We remain mindful of the dynamic and ever-changing nature of healthcare, which requires us all to bring our best to those we serve."
Duluth-area health care workers set to strike next week
The association's Duluth-area nurses, however, are still in the midst of negotiations that began in April.
Its members, who work for Aspirus St. Luke's Hospital and Essentia Health, have been working without a contract since Monday.
The association says those nurses are still set to strike on July 8, and advanced practice providers will join them two days later.
NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is June 24, 2025.
