About 15,000 Minnesota Nurses Strike Seeking More Money, Staff, Better Patient Care

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – About 15,000 nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) went on three-day strike beginning Monday in what is described as the largest strike of private-sector nurses in American history.

"Today’s announcement follows a vote last month by the 15,000 nurse members to authorize a strike. That vote passed with overwhelming support, well beyond the two-thirds majority required," union leaders said in a press release. "Since that strike vote, nurses have met for additional negotiations with hospital executives who have continued to refuse solutions to short-staffing, retention and better patient care. Following the vote by Twin Cities and Twin Port nurses, nurses at Moose Lake also voted to authorize a strike and will join other nurses in striking on September 12."

Union leaders said corporate healthcare policies at the hospitals they work have resulted in understaffed and overworked nurses, with patients getting hefty bills while hospital services have been pared down and local hospitals are closed. Meanwhile, hospital executives take home "million-dollar paychecks," the union said.

The nurses are outraged that hospital CEOs, with multi-million-dollar salaries, have refused to negotiate with them over solutions to the crises, the association noted.

MNA said the strike follows months of fruitless negotiations with nurses trying to secure higher staffing levels and 30% wage increases over the next three years. Hospital execs offered 10-12% increases over three years and made clear that they didn’t have the money to offer more.