Aspirus-St. Luke’s nurses pull strike notice, tentative deal reached

The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) announced that nurses with Aspirus St. Luke’s have pulled their 10-day strike notice and canceled their Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike. A representative from MNA said that nurses negotiated for man than 30 straight hours and were able to reach a pending tentative agreement with minors details to be finalized next week.

“Due to significant progress this week in negotiations, the Minnesota Nurses Association has withdrawn its intent to strike at Aspirus St. Luke’s that would have resulted in a work stoppage on July 8. We look forward to working with the MNA early next week to finalize a tentative agreement, subject to ratification by the MNA membership,” explained a representative from Aspirus St. Luke’s “We are confident that it meets Aspirus’ threefold commitment to our patients, our valued team members and the communities we serve.”

Nurses in the Metro area and Aspirus St. Luke’s have now both reached tentative agreements, but MNA members at Essentia Duluth and Superior hospitals, Essentia 1st Street Clinic, 2nd Street Clinic, 3rd Street Clinic, Superior Clinic, Solvay Hospice House, and Miller Hill Surgery Center are still scheduled to go on a ULP strike on Thursday, July 10.

“Nurses will continue to stand with our union siblings at Essentia facilities, united in the fight for a fair bargaining process—and for clinic nurses and APPs that means winning their first contracts,” said MNA President Chris Rubesch, RN. “If Aspirus can come to the table to negotiate in good faith with nurses, Essentia can come to the table and negotiate in good faith as well.”

A representative from Essentia Health provided WDIO the following statement: “Essentia Health and the Minnesota Nurses Association continue to meet at the bargaining table in pursuit of an agreement covering 1,500 Essentia acute care nurses in the Twin Ports. That is where our focus is and we’ll share any updates as they become available.”

Advanced Practice Providers with Essentia Health are also scheduled to go on a ULP strike on July 10.