Minnesota Nurses Association Rejects Allina Offer, Votes To Strike

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Twin Cities nurses have again voted Thursday evening to go on strike at five Allina hospitals, but it may not be as temporary this time.

The Minnesota Nurses Association voted to reject the latest offer from Allina Health for a new three-year contract in hospitals and clinics, and to begin an indefinite strike. The group held a one-week strike in June over the negotiations that also ended without a deal.

The strike includes some 4,800 nurses at Abbott Northwestern, Mercy, Phillips Eye Institute, United and Unity hospitals. The union is required to give 10 days notice to their employer before the strike begins.

The disagreement is over a change in the nurses healthcare plan. Allina wants to move nurses to the same plan that covers its other employees, which it says would save the company $10 million a year. Nurses say that plan isn't as good as their current healthcare coverage.

After the vote, Allina Health released the following statement:

"We are disappointed by the outcome of today's vote. Allina Health put a fair compromise offer on the table that preserves choice for our nurses by retaining the two most popular nurse-only insurance plans. While the union continues to focus on another unnecessary strike, Allina Health will continue to focus on providing high quality care to our communities."