Twin Ports Bargaining

Updates

July 10 Update

Twin Ports acute care nurses ratify new contract

The tentative agreement reached by the Minnesota Nurses Association and Essentia Health for Twin Ports acute care nurses was approved by the nurses Wednesday. The new three-year contract covers 1,500 nurses working at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center, Essentia Health-Duluth and Essentia Health St. Mary’s Hospital-Superior.

We appreciate the work at the bargaining table to reach an agreement that benefits our patients and our valued nurses. During negotiations, together we focused on issues important to our nurses, including the delivery of high-quality care, opportunities to work collaboratively on staffing, and a competitive wage and benefit package.

At Essentia, we are dedicated to nursing excellence and thank acute care nurses for the expertise and compassion they bring to the bedside every day. We appreciate their commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care to our patients.

July 7 Update

Twin Ports main acute care contract summary and ratification vote

Late last week we reached a tentative three-year agreement with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) covering 1,500 valued acute care nursing colleagues caring for patients in our three Twin Ports hospitals, including Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center, Essentia Health-Duluth and Essentia Health St. Mary’s Hospital-Superior. This agreement was reached after five consecutive days of bargaining last week and resulted in the MNA withdrawing its notice of intent to strike.

We value the critical contributions our nurses make. We are proud to offer a number of important benefits for our nurses as part of this agreement, while increasing our ability to work together to continue providing excellent care for the patients who rely on us. We understand that the union’s bargaining team has recommended ratification and will be having a ratification vote on Wednesday, July 9. Nurses should check with their union representative for timing and vote details. It’s important that all members vote on the ratification of the contract.
Today we are sharing some details about the new tentative agreement. Nurses should reach out to their union representative or leader with any questions.

Twin Ports Main Acute Care contract summary highlights:

Wages, benefits and scheduling

• • • Increases of 3% year one, 4% year two and 2.75% year three
    • Modified schedule from four weeks to six weeks to reduce administrative burden and help staff plan ahead
    • Increased sick notice call by one hour to provide more time to fill shifts

Staffing

• • • Float Pool/SWOT premium increase to $2.00 upon hire to support more flexible staffing (up from staggered increases beginning at $0.50 after 2080 hours in the float pool and capped at $1.50 after 6240 hours of work)
    • Maintained current staffing agreement
    • No reduction in core staffing levels for the playbook units from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026
    • LMC will meet within 90 days of ratification to establish key performance indicators (KPIs) that will be reviewed quarterly where the parties will brainstorm and work together on solutions for continuous improvement in staffing
    • Modified LMC decreasing number of committees
    • Ability for nurses to voluntarily pick up shifts at other Essentia facilities
    • Reduced written notice to request a casual status from 90 days to 60 days

RN patient flow coordinators

• • • Incorporate the patient flow coordinators into the agreement with a wage adjustment

 

July 4 Update

Tentative agreement reached

We are pleased to announce that Essentia Health and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract covering nearly 1,500 nurses who care for patients at our hospitals in Duluth and Superior. As part of this agreement, the MNA has withdrawn its strike notice for the acute care nurses. This means the strike involving the acute care nurses starting July 8 is no longer expected to move forward. This positive outcome is the result of hard work at the bargaining table.

The tentative agreement comes after the 14th bargaining session between Essentia and the MNA, during which the two parties were able to find common ground on key topics of wages and staffing.

We appreciate the efforts of the negotiating teams to reach a resolution with our Twin Ports acute care nurses. We value all of our talented colleagues and the high level of care they provide our communities.

 

July 3 Update – 8:46 p.m.

We have been actively negotiating at the table with the MNA today. We continue to get closer together on wages and to offer a variety of solutions-oriented approaches to the staffing discussions we are having at the table.

We are working hard and committed to bargaining through the night and beyond to reach a fair agreement that benefits our valued nurses and our patients.

July 3 Update

Essentia continues to work toward an agreement with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA). Our 13th bargaining session went overnight ending at 5:13 a.m. Essentia and the MNA engaged in multiple sessions, focusing on staffing, wages, Labor Management Committee (LMC) and other contract elements. While progress was made, key issues remain unresolved. Negotiations are set to continue around noon today. 

Session overview: 

Morning session: 

• • Essentia presented a package proposal, offering to drop the management rights proposal if the union agreed to the LMC and cross facility floating proposals. Cross facility floating was highlighted as a voluntary measure and another tool to enhance staffing levels. The MNA had no questions. 

• • Essentia highlighted previous staffing ideas, including process improvements and voluntary on-call opportunities, and the recent decision to increase staffing on certain floors. The MNA emphasized the need for quicker implementation, and we acknowledged the effectiveness of the current process while recognizing room for improvement. 

• • Essentia and the MNA agreed to have an individual from each party continue to brainstorm ideas on staffing.  

Late afternoon session: 

• • Essentia proposed changes to parking, scheduling, labor management committees and wages, including a wage increase to 6.5% across the board (12% overall with cost of steps). We also revised our proposal on float pool adder. 

• • The MNA presented several proposals, including drop/drop exchanges, Superior surgery overtime adjustments, cleanup to retirement language and clarifications on seniority limits. 

Evening session: 

• • Essentia responded to the MNA’s proposals, agreeing to some exchanges and explaining our concerns with others. We continued to work through language options.  

Late night session: 

• • The MNA presented several groupings of proposals for Essentia’s review. These included changes to scheduling, salary increases and new language on floating and staffing. 

Overnight update: 

• • Despite ongoing negotiations, no agreement was reached. 

• • Essentia increased its wage proposal to 7% across the board or 12.5% with step increases, while the MNA remains at 15% across the board without step increases. 

• • Both parties agreed to resume negotiations around noon July 3.  

Essentia continues to focus on securing a fair agreement for our acute care nurses and avoiding a strike to ensure our patients continue to receive uninterrupted access to care. We will provide another update following our 14th bargaining session today.  

July 2 Update

Update on 12th bargaining session 

On Tuesday, July 1, the 12th bargaining session extended late into the evening, with a mediator present to assist in the negotiations. The day’s discussions primarily focused on local issues and ended late evening first with the mediator delivering the MNA’s counter on wages and the parties later discussing staffing. Both parties will meet again July 2 to work toward an agreement.

Session overview:

• • Morning session exchange of proposals: Essentia presented a counterproposal on parking, suggesting a 30-day advance notice for changes. Essentia did not accept the MNA’s proposed changes to letters of understanding regarding surgery. The MNA then offered several proposals, including revisions on temporary staffing adjustments, a patient flow coordinator counter and a modified Labor Management Committee (LMC) proposal in exchange for Essentia dropping its management rights proposal.
  • Afternoon session proposal revisions and counters: Essentia offered revisions to the LMC and management rights proposals. The MNA countered on hours and scheduling. The focus remained on local issues, with no wage counter or broader staffing discussions.
  • Early evening sessions included counterproposals and responses: Essentia provided three counterproposals, including significant movement on hours and scheduling to get closer to an agreement on this topic. Essentia also provided updates to Letters of Understanding covering eye surgery on-call and after-hours coverage agreements. The MNA had no new proposals but agreed to review Essentia’s proposals.
  • Late evening wage proposal from the MNA: The MNA reduced their overall wage demand to 15.5% across the board or 21% when taking into account the cost for wage grid step increases. The MNA also adjusted some adders. Essentia has offered wage improvement of 11.5% overall including 6% across the board increases.
  • Late evening discussions on staffing: Essentia and the MNA met twice after hours to brainstorm potential ideas to address staffing concerns raised by the MNA. No solutions were reached, but Essentia remains open to problem-solving discussions.

We remain committed to reaching a fair contract for our acute care nurses and aim to prevent a strike to ensure continuous access to care for our patients. The parties are set to reconvene on July 2 at 10 a.m.

 

July 1 Update

Update on 11th bargaining session 

Monday marked our 11th bargaining session with the Minnesota Nurses Association to reach a new contract for our Twin Ports acute care nurses. This was the final day to reach an agreement before the current contract expired on June 30. A mediator continues to assist the parties. Unfortunately, no agreement was reached. Both parties are reconvening July 1 for a 12th session.

Session overview:

• • Essentia’s proposals during the day’s first joint session: Essentia presented nine proposals covering topics including wages, hours and scheduling, staffing, holidays, Labor Management Committee (LMC), casual status, change of status (union proposal), sick leave and patient flow.
  • Union proposals during our first afternoon session: The MNA presented a slate of proposals covering a range of areas. The MNA offered to drop some proposals in exchange for Essentia dropping key items, such as management rights and LMC. Their bargaining team also provided a tentative agreement on holidays; asked that both parties drop parking proposals with modifications; rejected Essentia’s proposal to have the option of a four or six-week schedule; and offered language clean-up over two letters of understanding (LOUs).
  • Patient flow coordinator nurses: The MNA raised objections to our proposal on patient flow coordinator (PFC) nurses. We reminded the MNA of the negotiation process and their nine-month delay in bargaining for this group. During the next afternoon session, the MNA provided a 10-minute presentation on the PFC role.
  • Essentia’s response during the last joint session: We acknowledged the movement in the MNA’s proposals but they were tied to demands to which we could not agree.
    • We agreed to review the MNA’s parking response.
    • We discussed the “weekend frequency obligation” and potential solutions.
    • We rejected the proposal asking Essentia to drop management rights in exchange for the MNA dropping specific proposals. The management rights proposal simply clarifies rights that we already have and should not be objectional to the union.
    • We reminded the union of our revised LMC proposal from the previous bargaining session.
    • We acknowledged the tentative agreement on holidays.
    • We expressed our interest in moving to six-week schedules and will present a formal proposal July 1.

We remain committed to reaching a fair agreement for our valued nurses and are staying focused on our acute care nurses as we work to finalize these contract negotiations. We are striving to avoid a strike and preserve uninterrupted access to care. Both parties meet again July 1 at 9 a.m.

 

June 27 Update

Strike notice received 

The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) has provided Essentia Health a notice of the union’s intent to strike starting 7 a.m., Tuesday, July 8, 2025. The strike is open-ended and scheduled to take place at our Twin Ports hospitals along with other Essentia sites.

We are disappointed by the MNA’s decision to strike because we believe that we have a shared responsibility to care for our community. We believe had the MNA accepted the dates we offered to meet in April, May and June and bargained in good faith, we could have come to an agreement without the union threatening to go out on strike.

Even though we’ve received a strike notice, that does not mean a strike is imminent. We remain fully committed to continuing to work to reach an agreement with our acute care nurses that preserves uninterrupted access to the care our patients rely on every day.  If a strike does occur, we are working to maintain our patient services as much as possible.

We held our tenth bargaining session with our acute care nurses on Wednesday with assistance from a mediator. Talks were productive and cordial; however, we were unable to reach an agreement. There is one more session scheduled for Monday, June 30, the same day the contract expires.

Throughout the bargaining process for a new agreement with the MNA covering the Twin Ports acute care nurses, we have pressed the MNA for more dates and meaningful progress at the table in the hope of avoiding a strike. We will continue to spend the time and energy required to reach an agreement. We are striving to reach a mutually beneficial agreement that is sustainable and supports both quality care and good jobs with competitive pay and benefits.

 

June 26 Update

Update on 10th negotiation session 

Recap at a glance:  

• • Essentia Health completed the 10th negotiation session with the MNA Wednesday. No additional meeting dates are currently scheduled.

  • A mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services joined the session.

  • Essentia agreed to several union proposals and made concessions on others. Essentia’s wage proposal increased to a 10.5% total package over three years. The MNA adjusted its proposal to a 22% overall increase.

  • Essentia’s bargaining team reminded the MNA they are available to bargain every day, including the weekend and nights, before the June 30 contract expiration.

We completed our 10th negotiation session with the MNA for a new contract for our Essentia Health Twin Ports acute care nurses on Wednesday, June 25. The discussions were calm and productive, with a mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services joining us.

Both parties met with the mediator in advance of our scheduled time, after which the MNA needed additional time before meeting. We met three times, with sessions held at 10:45 a.m., 3:04 p.m., and 5:12 p.m. Essentia drove the progress by providing the MNA with a slate of proposals and responses. We increased our wage proposal for the third year by a half percent, bringing the total package to a 10.5% increase over three years, while the union adjusted its proposal to a 22% overall increase.

In the afternoon, Essentia reminded the MNA of six revised proposals that had been made in previous sessions. By the end of the day, we had reached a few more tentative agreements, both parties dropped some proposals, and we left each other with several proposals to respond to.

Throughout negotiations, Essentia’s bargaining team asked to keep the focus and conversation on reaching an agreement with our Twin Ports acute care nurses. Before breaking, the MNA asked for information previously requested and for a proposal related to patient flow coordinators. We agreed to provide both during our next session.

Currently, we do not have any more dates scheduled for further negotiations. However, we have encouraged the MNA to put in the time and effort to reach an agreement before the contract expires June 30. We reminded them of the dates we previously offered – Thursday, Friday and next Monday – as well as our availability on nights and weekends. We are awaiting a response from the MNA.

Earlier this week, the MNA announced that a strike authorization vote had been approved. This does not mean a strike is inevitable. Union leaders must provide a 10-day notice before their members leave the bedside. It’s important to note that even after the current contract expires, bargaining can continue. If a strike were to occur, Essentia is working through plans to minimize disruptions to patient care.

Essentia agreed to several union proposals and made concessions on others, demonstrating our commitment to reaching an agreement before the contract expiration. Wednesday’s sessions were constructive, and we are hopeful for continued progress. We remain ready to work toward a final agreement that benefits our valued nurses and the communities we serve.

June 18 Update

Update on ninth negotiation session 

Recap at a glance:  

• • We completed our ninth bargaining session Tuesday; one remaining session is scheduled for June 25. 
  • Negotiations were calm and respectful. Essentia led progress by providing several counterproposals and offering to drop other proposals to narrow the issues at the table. 
  • Both parties agreed to work late during the last scheduled session on June 25, if needed. 
  • Essentia continues to work toward reaching a new agreement for our patients and 1,500 Twin Ports acute care nurses before the contract expires on June 30. 

We completed our ninth negotiation session with the MNA for a new contract for Twin Ports acute care nurses on Tuesday, June 17. We have one more meeting scheduled for June 25, for a total of 10 sessions out of the 54 days initially offered to the MNA in February. 

We began the day with a request for respectful dialogue. Negotiations were calm and positive. While our four sessions together at the table over the course of the day were short, only lasting about an hour and a half in total, the meetings were productive. 

Essentia led the progress by starting the day with several proposals, including the unilateral agreement to drop three of our initial proposals. The MNA accepted without questions. We also shared a presentation to explain our proposed changes to the Labor Management Committee (LMC) and how nurses would have as much or more of a voice than now. The MNA didn’t have questions following the presentation.   

As the day progressed, the MNA presented its proposals, including counter proposals to two of Essentia’s made earlier in the day, adjusted its wage proposal from 18% to 17.5% across the board (or 23% when including costs of steps), and dropped four of its proposals.  

The MNA also discussed logistics for June 25, including the possibility of working late if the parties were making progress toward an agreement. We agreed on the spot. 

In the final session meeting of the day, Essentia responded to MNA counter proposals. We agreed to changes in the Grievance and Arbitration article to reach a tentative agreement and made a counter proposal. We also proposed dropping six more of our initial proposals to narrow issues to move toward bringing negotiations to a conclusion. We shared with the MNA that we will be sending a summary of outstanding proposals where we are each awaiting a response from the other party. This is intended to facilitate negotiations when we return to the table on June 25.  

Essentia continues to focus on reaching a new agreement that benefits our patients and the 1,500 Essentia acute care nurses in the Twin Ports before the current contract expires June 30. 

June 13 Update

Update on eighth negotiation session

We completed our eighth bargaining session with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) on Thursday, June 12. The day was contentious, with MNA representatives expressing their displeasure over Essentia’s transparent approach to communicating our concerns around delays at the bargaining table. The MNA also rejected Essentia’s offer to extend the existing collective bargaining agreement while we focus on reaching a new agreement that benefits our patients and the 1,500 Essentia acute care nurses in the Twin Ports. It expires June 30 and Essentia is focused on patient care without disruptions.

Under the terms of the current agreement, both parties had agreed to exchange contract proposals on the first day of negotiations, which occurred April 11. The MNA finally provided its wage and benefits proposal during our eighth session Thursday.

Throughout the day, Essentia provided the MNA with several revisions to our own proposals and counterproposals to keep the conversation moving forward. We revised our proposals based on feedback from the MNA and continue to make a good-faith effort to address their main concerns. We are committed to using input from the union while revising our proposals as we work toward a new contract for our valued nursing colleagues.

Three years after Essentia agreed to a historic, 17% pay raise for acute care nurses in the Twin Ports, the MNA on Thursday requested an 18% increase over three years or an average of 23.5% when accounting for the benefit of the cost of steps already in the contract. Essentia countered with a proposal that would provide nurses with an average wage benefit of approximately 10% over three years when taking into account the benefit of step increases.

Beyond economics, Essentia had hoped to provide a presentation on our proposal regarding labor management committees (LMCs). However, that presentation was delayed until our next meeting due to additional discussions on LMCs yesterday.

Late in the day, the MNA asked for Essentia to agree to mediation. Essentia immediately agreed, expressing its interest in doing anything to facilitate negotiations. Essentia immediately reached out to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) to secure a mediator. We hope to have a mediator at our next session.

The MNA also accepted another bargaining day, June 17 – this was one of the days Essentia offered back in February. With that date, plus a session on June 25, the parties have two opportunities to bargain before the contract expires.

June 11 Updates

Next bargaining session

We appreciate the opportunity to return to the bargaining table tomorrow as we seek to make meaningful progress toward a new contract. We will share a recap of negotiations on Friday, June 13.

Strike authorization vote

We understand the MNA is scheduling a strike authorization vote on June 23. It’s important to note that this vote is being requested even though the MNA has not yet shared a complete negotiations package with Essentia’s bargaining team, as we have not yet received the MNA’s economic proposal. This further illustrates our concerns about the MNA’s lack of good-faith bargaining.

With only two scheduled negotiation sessions left, the MNA has declined requests for additional bargaining dates before the contract expires but is instead making time to conduct a strike authorization vote. We have asked the MNA for a contract extension to give us more time to reach an agreement and prioritize patient care.

A “yes” vote means that union members are giving the MNA’s negotiating team the ability to decide when to call a strike and how long it would last. We encourage our nurses to support continued negotiations toward a new contract that focuses on our shared interest in high-quality patient care and vote against authorizing a strike. 

Latest fact sheet

Please check out our latest fact sheet, which highlights our successful nurse retention efforts. Turnover rates for our Twin Ports acute care nurses are far lower than national benchmarks. And our employee satisfaction surveys show a 77% increase in nurses who recommend Essentia as a great place to work since September 2023.

Together, we continue to build a positive work environment that best supports our nurses and their ability to deliver excellent patient care.

June 4 Update 

MNA informational picketing June 4 on Duluth campus

The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) plans to conduct informational picketing outside Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center from 2-6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4. St. Mary’s will be open as usual, continuing to deliver the same seamless, high-quality care that patients have come to expect here. This kind of activity is not unusual during bargaining. Members of a labor union have a right to conduct informational picketing, and we respect that right. Wednesday’s picketing is part of MNA’s statewide campaign and not just focused on Essentia.

Negotiation talks to reach a new agreement began in April, and bargaining continues. We are striving to reach an agreement that supports high-quality, compassionate care for our patients and benefits our talented nurses.

Today is one of 54 bargaining dates offered by Essentia, and one of 46 the MNA declined

In early February, Essentia offered 54 potential bargaining dates to the MNA, nearly five months before the contract for acute care nurses in the Twin Ports expires. One of those dates was June 4, which the union declined. Instead of accepting Essentia’s offer to meet at the bargaining table today, the MNA is more interested in organizing informational pickets across the state and holding press conferences than in reaching a deal before the current agreement’s expiration on June 30. Of the 54 days offered by Essentia, the union declined 46 and agreed to just eight, even though the last contract in 2022 required 26 sessions to secure an agreement. Read the rest of the story here.

Keeping our Twin Ports acute care nurses informed

We also shared an update today with our Twin Ports acute care nurses to keep them informed about what we’re discussing during negotiations, such as staffing. The attached fact sheet provides information about our how our data-driven, patient-focused staffing process works. Our processes are based on our values of teamwork, stewardship, hospitality and respect. We are listening to our nurses’ feedback on this important topic. Because of opportunities they’ve raised, we’re working through additional ways to enhance our support staff resources and potential updates in API Time and Attendance. View the staffing fact sheet here.

We appreciate our shared focus on being responsive to our patients’ needs and thank our nurses for the exceptional care they provide in our Twin Ports communities.

May 28 Update 

Addressing rumors with our nurses 

This week we shared a fact sheet to address some of the concerns reported to us regarding negotiations. Specifically, it addresses the following rumors:

RUMOR: Essentia is delaying negotiations.
FACT: Since negotiations began on April 11, Essentia has addressed all MNA proposals. Yet even after seven bargaining sessions, the MNA hasn’t fully responded to Essentia’s initial proposal or provided its economic proposal.
Essentia offered 54 bargaining dates, with MNA agreeing to only nine. The last contract required 26 days of negotiations. We urge the MNA to make meaningful progress at the bargaining table before the contract expires June 30.

RUMOR: An MNA-strike would derail Essentia’s journey toward ANCC Magnet designation at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth.
FACT: Magnet designation is about our incredible nurses and reflects their voices and their impact on patient care delivery. The Magnet journey benefits all our nurses, colleagues and patients. Regardless of whether the MNA decides to strike, Essentia remains fully committed to achieving Magnet designation. A strike would not delay our journey, and we would keep our Magnet processes on track.

May 23 Update 

Update on seventh negotiation session 

Our seventh bargaining session with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) for a new contract was held on Thursday, May 22.  

Despite repeated requests from Essentia’s bargaining team, the MNA still has not provided an economic proposal. The MNA has also failed to fully respond to our initial proposal which we provided on the first day of negotiations in April.  

The MNA did offer to add another day of bargaining on either June 24 or June 25th. After Essentia indicated it was available to bargain both days, the MNA agreed to just a single day, which will be June 25. 

Essentia’s bargaining team followed up in writing and indicated we are still available for the other dates previously offered to meet in May and June – an additional 20 opportunities – which were among the 54 dates originally offered to the MNA in February. Essentia also offered June 30 as an additional date. 

Recognizing the need to forge more progress at the table, Essentia also offered to meet on weekends or evenings if more convenient to the MNA. 

Given the MNA’s inability to meet more consistently and continued scheduling challenges, Essentia suggested both parties agree to a contract extension until they reach an agreement. Essentia will send the MNA a formal proposal to that effect. 

With the additional agreed upon date, there are now two remaining bargaining sessions – June 12 and now, June 24 – before the contract expires on June 30.  

May 22 session recap

The parties met four times throughout the day: once in the morning, twice in the mid-afternoon, and once in the late-afternoon/early-evening. Here is a recap of those sessions:

Morning session:

• • The MNA invited three nurses from other Essentia units to share their experience with Labor Management Committee (LMC) language at their facilities.
    • Two nurses from Virginia shared their positive experiences with their contract’s LMC language, but opining that more sophisticated language for larger facilities like Duluth/Superior could possibly be beneficial.
  • MNA committee members raised concerns about Essentia’s updates over the limited days the MNA has agreed to meet, the MNA’s failure to provide its economic proposal and the MNA’s failure to fully respond to Essentia’s initial proposal by raising scheduling conflicts, asserting the MNA is waiting for responses to Requests for Information (RFIs) from Essentia, and that we have not agreed to include Patient Flow Coordinators (PFCs) in the negotiations. They then shared concerns over Essentia’s proposals on LMC and the ADO process.
  • Essentia heard their concerns and provided factual responses, emphasizing the following:
    • Essentia has repeatedly offered to meet for more and successive days.
    • Responses to all RFIs have been provided.
    • The MNA requested to negotiate a new contract and yet still has not provided a full proposal.
    • Essentia has agreed to negotiate PFCs, though believes that negotiating the main contract now and the PCFs separately is a more efficient use of time.
    • Essentia stressed the importance of spending the limited remaining time focusing on shared goals and common interests.

Afternoon sessions:

• • The MNA made two proposals: a counter proposal on LMC and a package proposal for both sides to drop 13 proposals.
  • Essentia agreed to review these proposals.

Last session:

• • Essentia shared a counter proposal on LMC language, which led to productive discussions about the purpose and topics for LMC. Each side agreed to provide a list of topics it believes should be subject to discussion during LMC as a way to move those discussions along.
  • Essentia offered counter proposals on Sick Leave and Scheduling, addressing the MNA’s earlier concerns.
  • Essentia committed to responding to the proposal to drop 13 proposals on June 12.

The day concluded with discussions about the possibility of agreeing to a contract extension.

Both parties agreed to meet again during the next scheduled bargaining date: June 12.

May 15 Update

Update on sixth negotiation session

Our sixth bargaining session with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) for a new contract was held on Wednesday, May 14. Essentia offered 54 potential meeting days from April to June, suggesting consecutive days of bargaining to finish negotiations before the June 30 deadline. This was based on our last contract negotiations in 2022, which required 26 sessions to reach an agreement. However, the MNA only agreed to eight days and declined consecutive meetings.

We are now 75 percent of the way through our agreed upon bargaining sessions. With only two scheduled meeting days remaining before the contract expires, the MNA has still not addressed basic elements of our initial proposal or provided an economic proposal.

Here is a recap of the latest session:

• • MNA Economic Proposal Delay: After six meetings, the MNA still has not provided an economic proposal despite repeated reminders from Essentia. The collective bargaining agreement states the parties will exchange proposals on the first day of bargaining. Also, although Essentia shared its initial proposal on the first day, the MNA has not fully responded to that proposal.
  • Highlighting Essentia’s Patient-Focused Staffing Practices: Essentia did an extensive presentation on how staffing is set at Essentia, the benefits of our staffing playbook, and how we know the staffing process is working. It also covered growth we are seeing in nurse engagement, recruitment and retention. Essentia gave a copy of this presentation to the MNA. (A high-level recap of the presentation is below this update.)
  • Addressing Scheduling Concerns: Following the presentation, the MNA had three nurses share stories of individual experiences that highlighted scheduling issues rather than problems with the staffing playbook. Essentia’s proposals aim to address these issues, including through proposals on mandatory time off and on-call, cross facility floating and float pool language. The MNA suggested improvements to the API Time and Attendance system to help nurses manage shifts more easily. Essentia absorbed these suggestions and will explore potential improvements.
  • Additional Updates: Essentia clarified a proposal on longevity bonuses, explaining that current nurses would be unaffected by any changes, and shared three tentative agreements. The MNA provided a counterproposal on sick leave.

Both parties agreed to meet again during the next scheduled bargaining date: May 22.

Presentation Recap: Essentia Health’s Approach to Nurse (Staffing) Playbook, Recruitment and Retention
On May 14, Essentia nurse leaders from Duluth and Superior, along with human resources, provided a detailed presentation to the MNA about Essentia’s current patient-centered approach to staffing. We highlighted that:

• • Essentia’s goal is to deliver the highest quality, patient-centered care.
  • Essentia’s Twin Ports hospitals are aligned with the best nurse-to-patient staffing targets. They are comparable to national standards and ones mandated by law in other states.
  • Our current staffing schedule is built off these targets and adjusted based on what we see each shift in our hospitals. Our process allows us to be flexible and quickly respond to our patients’ needs, which is vital.
  • Our process also ensures our charge nurses and leaders use their critical thinking skills and professional expertise to address staffing needs.
  • We have processes in place to measure if we’re meeting our targets and make changes if we’re not. This allows us to be good stewards of our resources as well.
  • We have many resources to address changing and unexpected patient needs, including our nurse float pools and sitters.
  • We also have additional resources for our registered nurses, such as support staff (health unit coordinators and nursing assistants), along with innovative roles like our virtual nurses and discharge nurses that help our hospital registered nurses focus on providing the in-person care only they can deliver.
  • An area of opportunity is the hiring of additional support staff, which has been continuous work in progress. We’ve developed a nursing assistant program that includes on-the-job training, formal education and certification to solve some gaps.
  • Our excellent 4- and 5-star Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ratings at our Duluth hospitals are a testament to the safe, patient-centered, high-quality care we provide.
  • Nurses choose to stay at Essentia – including our long-time nurses. Our Twin Ports registered nurse hospital retention rates are better than the national average – and our turnover rates have improved considerably since the last time we had contract negotiations with this group.

May 7 Update

Update on fifth negotiation session

Yesterday, we completed our fifth bargaining session with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) for a new contract. We are over halfway through the eight bargaining days the MNA accepted, out of the 54 potential days we offered. We greeted our nurses with recognition for National Nurses Week.

Session Activities

• • The MNA submitted written Requests for Information (RFI) before our morning and afternoon session, repeating many issues already discussed at the bargaining table.
  • The MNA provided a partial response to Essentia’s initial proposal from April 11 – addressing only 15 of 31 proposals.
  • Nurse testimonials centered on personal nurse/patient experience.

Staffing Discussions

• • The MNA presented personal experiences from nine nurses. We listened and asked questions, emphasizing the goal of negotiations to address staffing and patient needs overall, rather than individual issues.
  • We shared how our core staffing plan, together with our day-of staffing plan where we regularly evaluate staffing levels, addresses patient needs. Our contract proposals seek the flexibility to address any concerns immediately when they arise.
  • It appeared that many, but not all, of the issues raised in the nurse stories pertain to the lack of support staff who are not covered by this bargaining agreement, but which we are actively working to address. For example, between the end of 2022 and 2024, we increased the number of nursing assistants and health unit coordinators (HUCs) who support our RNs and patient care from 360 to 441.

Concerns and Next Steps

• • The MNA still has not provided an economic proposal.
  • We encouraged the MNA to submit RFIs ahead of meetings to facilitate efficient discussions.
  • Essentia has fully responded to the MNA’s initial proposal, continues to answer all questions, and during the last session, provided a counterproposal on sick leave.
  • We have achieved a couple of minor tentative agreements, including a tentative agreement on vacation request timing during the last session.
  • We continue to experience delays from the MNA, such as not being ready to start negotiations at the set time, not submitting requests for information in advance of the session and only providing a response to half of our initial proposal from April 11.
  • Only three meeting dates remain before the contract expires on June 30. We continue to stress the importance of using our remaining time effectively to maximize our chances of bringing negotiations to a conclusion by contract expiration. Our next meeting is May 14.

May 1 Update

Update on fourth negotiation session

Yesterday, representatives from Essentia Health and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) held their fourth bargaining session.

• • Essentia’s proposal: Essentia presented a revised proposal on temporary staffing adjustments/low-need days, which retained both voluntary and mandatory on-call at St. Mary’s Hospital-Superior. Essentia also proposed that the parties agree to explore on-call at St. Mary’s Medical Center and Essentia Health-Duluth after negotiations are completed as a way to address staffing concerns. The MNA raised questions about the proposal, which were addressed during the discussion session.
  • MNA’s LOU: The MNA also provided Essentia with a Letter of Understanding to include RN patient flow coordinators in the Twin Ports acute care collective bargaining unit with a 15% pay increase retroactive to July 17, 2024. After a break, Essentia shared with the MNA that, due to differing job duties than those of nurses caring for patients in the hospital setting, RN patient flow coordinators should negotiate a separate collective bargaining agreement. We asked the MNA if they had any additional response to our proposals, reminding them that we had responded to all their proposals. They had nothing further for us at that time.
  • Staffing proposal discussion: In a mid-afternoon session, the MNA presented information about their staffing proposal via PowerPoint. We listened. We then expressed concerns that their proposal was moving in the wrong direction, emphasizing the need for patient-focused staffing rather than the rigid staffing ratios they continue to propose. We also highlighted the importance of maintaining flexibility to ensure that administrative processes do not delay patient care.
  • Current practices: We highlighted the benefit of our current staffing practices. We are constantly reviewing staffing and census to ensure that we have the appropriate number of nurses available to meet our patients’ needs. Our nurse leaders are regularly engaging with nurse colleagues to understand what’s happening on the unit and how we can make adjustments on a daily basis to ensure that we’re properly staffed. We also emphasized the importance of peer review and feedback without delaying patient care.
  • Negotiation concerns: Essentia reached out earlier this year and offered 54 dates to bargain for a new contract before the June 30 contract expires. After completing the fourth bargaining session of eight that the MNA agreed to, we are concerned about a lack of counterproposals from the MNA at this stage in negotiations. In addition, Essentia has still not received MNA’s economic proposals. We will continue to share our perspectives on our patient-focused staffing practices and the many ways we support our nurses as we work toward reaching a new contract.

April 24 Update

Update on third negotiation session

Essentia Health and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) completed their third negotiation session today toward a new contract for Essentia’s Twin Ports acute care nurses. The parties met for about two and a half hours over the course of four meetings throughout the day.  

Today’s discussions were composed solely of questions posed by the MNA and answers provided by Essentia. We answered MNA questions from last week’s session, addressed new questions about additional aspects of our original proposal, and responded to follow-up questions. Though many of the follow-up questions asked by the MNA were unrelated to the proposals made by Essentia, we answered in full and later requested the MNA focus its questions on our proposals. One Essentia proposal that we discussed would allow cross-facility floating, language several other bargaining units have agreed to over the last 18 months. We highlighted the advantages for patients and our colleagues when nurses have the opportunity to work at other Essentia sites not covered by their bargaining agreement. We discussed the practice being completely voluntary and how nurses would be paid. 

Even though this was our third full day meeting with the MNA, the MNA has not provided Essentia with its full proposal. Essentia is still waiting for the MNA’s economic proposal. The MNA did not provide a counterproposal today either, saying they are still evaluating our initial proposal that we provided during our first session on April 11. We emphasized we have some distance to go to reach agreement by June 30, and that is best achieved by exchanging proposals to move the process forward. 

Our next meeting is scheduled for April 30. We have responded to all MNA proposals with the exception of a proposal covering temporary staffing adjustments during low-need days. We both agree that Duluth and Superior hospitals should be handled similarly, and we will provide the MNA with a full counterproposal next week. As noted above, we await the MNA’s economic proposal and a response to our initial proposal.  

Though we offered the MNA 54 days to meet in April, May and June in an effort to reach an agreement prior to the expiration of our collective bargaining agreement, the MNA only agreed to schedule eight days. With today’s session, we have five more days scheduled before the June 30 expiration: 

• • April 30 
  • May 6, 14, 22 
  • June 12 

April 15 Update

Update on second negotiation session

Essentia Health and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) met for the second time on Tuesday, April 15, at the Duluth Labor Temple. There are six more scheduled negotiation dates that have been accepted by the MNA. They are:

• • April 24 and 30
  • May 6, 14 and 22
  • June 12

Today’s session was initially scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. However, the MNA needed more time to prepare, and our first joint session occurred at 11:15. It started with Essentia providing a full response to the union’s first proposal, which was presented on Friday, April 11. After our response, we received questions from the union regarding our initial proposals that were offered on April 11.

Essentia’s bargaining team responded to these questions and provided a revision to our proposal on hours and scheduling. We agreed to an MNA proposal that revises non-discrimination language, and we highlighted labor management committee (LMC) language from other MNA contracts to give context for the changes we are seeking to make to the LMC language in this contract.

We answered follow-up questions from the MNA regarding orientation, professional nursing, our LMC proposal and other topics. Our focus is on commonsense solutions that will help reduce administrative burden and focuses our time on our nurses and patients. Bringing the Twin Ports LMC structure into closer alignment with other bargaining units will move us toward those goals.

Essentia and the union share common ground on handling temporary staffing and low-need days uniformly across our Twin Ports hospitals.

Essentia continues to focus on patient care and ensuring our nurses have a valuable voice in the work they do. We answered many of the questions posed by the MNA and explained our continued focus on being agile, getting information to and from front-line nurses and addressing issues in real-time.

April 11 Update

Update on first negotiation session

Essentia Health and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) held their first of eight scheduled contract negotiations on Friday, April 11, 2025, at Essentia. The remaining meeting dates accepted by the MNA are:

• • April 15, 24 and 30
  • May 6, 14 and 22
  • June 12

Today, the parties exchanged their initial proposals.

Essentia’s bargaining team presented non-economic proposals to update a range of contract provisions, including hours and scheduling, cross-facility floating, and committee participation. The goal is to simplify and streamline the 122-page contract, bringing it into closer alignment with other labor contracts and enhancing our ability to focus on patient needs.

The MNA also presented proposals for consideration and provided a high-level overview of those proposals. The Essentia bargaining team asked some initial clarifying questions and continues to evaluate the MNA’s extensive set of proposals. While there appears to be some common ground between the parties, many more differences exist.

This is the first day of negotiations, and we expect, as is usual with bargaining, that proposals will change considerably throughout negotiations. Essentia’s focus as we move forward will be on achieving a contract that puts patients and each nurse’s voice first while continuing to provide a competitive wage and benefit package to our dedicated nurses.

April 9 Update

Elevating the voice of our nurses

We recognize the critical role nurses play in championing ideas on ways we can enhance the care we provide for our patients and communities. We value our nurses’ insights and perspectives, and our practices show this.

• • Nurse Councils and Professional Governance: Our councils enable nurses to engage in shared decision-making through our professional governance structure. This allows nurses to influence practice changes, enhance care quality and safety, and improve patient outcomes through the promotion and use of evidence-based practices.
  • We also have many other formal and informal ways we listen and work together to drive change within our teams, organization and the nursing practice. Some examples include our regular employee pulse surveys, leader rounding and one-on-one conversations.

We’re excited to continue our journey toward American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet designation at Essentia Health-St. Mary’s Medical Center and Essentia Health-Duluth and our ANCC Pathway to Excellence designation at St. Mary’s Hospital-Superior. These journeys focus on raising the nursing voice and encourage collaboration to drive changes in the organization, leading to better patient outcomes.

We hope you take a moment to look at the fact sheet to the right to learn more about this topic.

April 8 Update

Negotiation schedule update

Negotiations between Essentia Health and the MNA are currently set to begin April 11. Given the importance of these negotiations, we want to provide timely, accurate and transparent information throughout the process. We will continue to post updates on this website regularly, providing a quick, convenient place to receive information on bargaining as it progresses.

Our goal is to reach an agreement for a new contract on or before the current contract expires on June 30. With that in mind, we offered the union 54 days to meet in April, May and June. We also asked the MNA to agree to meet on consecutive days, in successive weeks, well in advance of June 30 to give the parties the best opportunity to reach a timely settlement. The following are the days the MNA has agreed to meet:

• • Friday, April 11
  • Tuesday, April 15
  • Thursday, April 24
  • Wednesday, April 30
  • Tuesday, May 6
  • Wednesday, May 14
  • Thursday, May 22
  • Thursday, June 12

We continue to ask for additional days as well as back-to-back days to ensure productive meetings. If the MNA agrees to additional days, we will update the website.

Thank you to all our Essentia nurses for the excellent care you provide and for focusing on our patients while the negotiating teams work on making progress at the bargaining table. We will strive to achieve a contract that recognizes your contributions and supports the high-quality, compassionate care Essentia nurses are known for.

April 2 Update

The importance of responsive staffing

We wish to take a moment to highlight how we work together to best meet patients’ needs through our staffing practices in our Twin Ports hospitals. We strive to provide timely access to care, relying on thoughtful planning and continuous evaluation of patient needs.

Staff schedules are based on past- and present-day patient and facility data, which helps us plan in advance for high-quality care. Throughout each day and each shift, we re-evaluate staffing at least every four hours and more frequently as needed. We have additional resources, such as float pools, sitters and “SWOT” nurses, to support our patients and our teams.

Responsive staffing is essential for many reasons:

• • It enhances our patients’ experience so they feel safe and cared for.
  • It impacts team satisfaction; a balanced workload allows team members to perform meaningful work without feeling overwhelmed or underutilized.
  • Ensuring we have the right staff, in the right place, at the right time enhances the quality of the care we provide, ensuring patient needs are met.
  • Lastly, responsive staffing allows us to practice good stewardship, which aligns with our Essentia Health values, and helps us put our people resources where they are needed most.

Doing this complex work successfully requires excellent communication, trust and respect among team members. To learn more about the importance of responsive staffing, please review this fact sheet. Thank you for your commitment to our patients and one another.

Mar. 26 Update

Supporting our communities

Essentia Health nurses care about the health and well-being of our patients, our colleagues and our communities. Our mission to make a healthy difference in people’s lives extends beyond the walls of our facilities through the support of housing, food access, youth development and more.

As a nonprofit health care organization, Essentia Health is committed to enhancing the health of our communities, as well as investing in our colleagues and our care. Please check out this community benefit fact sheet. You can also learn more by reading Essentia’s full Community Benefit Report and the Minnesota Hospital Association Community Impact Report.

By focusing on the support of healthy behaviors and the social determinants of health, we can help to improve our patients’ quality of life. We appreciate all our nurses do to support our mission in this way.

Mar. 19 Update

Keeping nurses at the bedside with AI
As health care continues to evolve, the opportunity to responsibly integrate new forms of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into our work offers numerous benefits that can help us deliver the best care possible to our patients and enhance care team member satisfaction.

Some benefits include:

• More time with patients; less time in the electronic medical record documenting and finding information.
• Improved patient monitoring/early warning sign identification, allowing for timely diagnosis and treatment for improved patient outcomes.
• Data-driven insights and decision support.

It’s no secret that nurses have a very special relationship with patients that can’t be replaced. Finding new ways to use AI can enhance these relationships and give nurses more time at the bedside.

To learn more about AI applications in health care and at Essentia Health, please review this fact sheet. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to excellence in patient care.

Mar. 12 Update

A Focus on Safety

At Essentia Health, we take the safety of our colleagues, patients and visitors very seriously. Our organization has developed a robust Workplace Violence Prevention Program to support the safety of our nurses and all our colleagues.

From ongoing training opportunities to enhanced security measures, we are committed to supporting a safe work environment. Please view this fact sheet  about important workplace violence prevention efforts. Thank you for helping to make Essentia Health the best place to provide and receive care.

Mar. 11 Update

Scheduling Update

More than four weeks ago, Essentia Health provided 54 potential bargaining dates in April, May and June to the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) to create a negotiations calendar for the bargaining unit covering Essentia’s Twin Ports acute care nurses. We requested meetings on successive days in successive weeks or, at the very least, every other week, to provide an opportunity for meaningful discussions, which is more productive than bargaining on sporadic single days. We are still waiting for the MNA to commit to days out of the options offered. Click here to see the most recent letter sent to the MNA on this topic.

 

Mar. 5 Update

Enhancing our care models

At Essentia Health, we are always looking for ways to enhance the care we provide our patients. Over the last year, we have negotiated language in some of our collective bargaining agreements that supports a model of care called “cross-facility floating.” This concept has benefits for both our patients and our colleagues. 

This language allows colleagues to work at different Essentia facilities not covered by their collective bargaining agreement when unique circumstances arise, such as unexpected illness or an emergency that affects staffing needs.

What’s important to know

In the nine bargaining units that have approved cross-facility language, the decision to float to another location outside their collective bargaining agreement is completely voluntary. Colleagues decide whether to pick up a shift, or shifts, at another hospital. In addition, staff would only float to a role they are trained and qualified for, as the goal of this model is to provide the highest level of quality care.

Here’s how this works

If the census at a facility is low or a nurse wants an extra shift, they might have the opportunity to work at another facility that needs help. In the same way, if the census at another facility is high or there is a staffing emergency, colleagues from other locations could have the opportunity to support those nurses and their patients.

Cross-facility floating language is part of the MNA contract in Deer River and the tentative agreement recently reached in Sandstone. We continue to encourage this care model as a way to provide opportunities for our nurses and excellent care for our patients.

Feb. 26 Update

Rewarding careers in nursing

At Essentia Health, we strive to ensure our nurses enjoy a supportive work environment and are well compensated for their contributions to our patients and communities. Our success in recruiting and retaining nurses reflects this commitment to providing rewarding jobs that make a healthy difference in people’s lives.

Here are some statistics that help to illustrate the opportunities for Twin Ports acute care nurses at Essentia.

• • Full-time acute care RNs in the Twin Ports with a two-year degree can start their careers earning about $87,000.
  • Most nurses in this bargaining unit – up to 94% – choose to work part-time, with benefits starting at 24 hours per week.
  • On average, a Twin Ports acute care RN working a 0.8 FTE, or 32 hours per week, earns about $100,000 annually.
  • Nurses also benefit from Essentia’s health insurance options, with 77% of nurses choosing coverage. Essentia pays up to $29,000 a year for family coverage.
  • Essentia’s commitment to achieving Magnet recognition means we are focused on professional development for nurses and supporting them in their careers.
  • Nurses choose to remain at Essentia with more than half of the Twin Ports acute care nurses having worked here for more than five years.
  • Our nurse turnover rates and vacancy rates are better than benchmarks from our peers across the nation.

As we prepare for contract negotiations to get underway in April, we want to emphasize our commitment to creating excellent careers for nurses at Essentia. Please see this fact sheet for more information on wages and support for our Twin Ports acute care nurses.

Feb. 21 Update

Negotiation calendar update 

On Monday, Feb. 10, Essentia provided the MNA with 54 alternative dates in April, May and June that it was available to meet. We asked the MNA to work with us to schedule successive dates over successive weeks or alternate weeks so that we could create a negotiation schedule that is conducive to reaching an agreement that leads to a new three-year contract. Sporadic single days separated by weeks, which is what the MNA made available in 2022, just doesn’t work.

On Thursday, Feb. 20, one day after our initial negotiation communication to you, the MNA sent Essentia a one-sentence email ostensibly offering to meet on March 18 to begin negotiations. This single day was not one of the 54 days Essentia offered. Moreover, it was a date that Essentia and its lead negotiator had already committed to MNA to meet to bargain another Essentia contract.

We have asked the MNA to again review the 54 days we provided on Feb. 10. To help them, we provided the MNA the dates its committee members from Essentia have requested off, either for union business, vacation or other reasons in April, May and June. We hope with this help, the MNA will now work with Essentia to finalize a negotiation calendar that secures successive days over successive weeks (or every other week).When we get a response from the MNA we will let you know.

Feb. 19 Update

2025 negotiations with MNA

The collective bargaining agreement between Essentia Health and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) covering about 1,475 acute care nurses in the Twin Ports area expires June 30, 2025. We expect negotiations will likely begin in April. Our goal is to reach an agreement on a new contract by the time the current one expires.

We want to ensure bargaining unit members are kept informed with the most current and accurate information about negotiations and that no one is misled. In negotiations three years ago, there were misrepresentations made directly to our employees as well as through the media. We cannot stop others from spreading misleading information, but we can and will address it when it occurs.

We have established this website to share information with you before and during negotiations. Please check back regularly for information. We will keep you informed of the dates and times of meetings that have been agreed upon as negotiations proceed.

Time at the bargaining table

We are committed to devoting the necessary time and space to negotiate and will do our part to secure both. On Monday, Feb. 10, we provided the MNA with 54 business days of availability to meet throughout April, May and June. We have asked the MNA for as many consecutive day meetings as possible. We can assure everyone that negotiations will not be delayed due to our lack of willingness to meet or lack of availability.

Meeting on consecutive days, in successive weeks, well in advance of June 30 gives the parties the best opportunity to reach a timely settlement. In 2022, MNA only agreed to meet on single days dragging out negotiations unnecessarily. Delaying meetings to the last minute or only meeting sporadically on single

days does not provide the time required for the parties to have a good dialogue over the issues raised/proposals made by both parties.

We will share the response we receive from the MNA and what dates we can get the MNA to commit to meet and bargain. We will also share other information in the lead up to negotiations to help our nursing colleagues stay well-informed throughout negotiations.

Our nurses’ voices

We understand that the MNA has already distributed a survey to those being represented over what issues matter to the bargaining membership most. The MNA does this to finalize their proposals (requests), and they ask their membership to commit to preparing for a possible strike. We believe we have heard and understood our nurses’ wants and needs through our various communication channels. We have been listening to our nurses over the last three years through our Nurse Practice Councils, Staff Nurse Advisory Communications, shift huddles, Nursing Reels on the Nursing Hub, the ADO process, as well as through the opinions and concerns nurses have raised directly to nurse leaders, charge nurses and in our employee pulse surveys. We will do our best to take any issues raised through these channels into consideration as we prepare our contract proposals.

We are always open to learning more from our nurses and urge nurses to talk with their leaders regarding personal issues or concerns.

Working together

In the past, nurses have shared that the MNA has told them not to attend meetings with leaders during negotiations or to ask questions. If a nurse is told this by the MNA, an MNA representative or even one of our colleagues, we hope that nurse chooses to ignore them and seek answers to questions from us directly. It makes no sense to tell union members not to share feelings or concerns with Essentia, not to ask questions or not to attend meetings. After all, it is only through open dialogue that we can truly work together as a cohesive team.

Last year, Essentia was able to achieve ratified agreements with 27 separate bargaining units. The parties to these agreements achieved this by setting aside differences and looking for common ground focused on mutually shared interests:

• • Delivering high-quality health care to our patients in a sustainable way
  • Ensuring our colleagues have a safe and healthy workplace
  • Providing a competitive wage and benefit package.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Below is a representative sample of frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the bargaining process and what it means for MNA and Essentia Health.