Virginia
Bargaining

 

Essentia Health is conducting regular bargaining with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA), the union representing more than 100 nurses at Essentia Health–Virginia. Negotiations for the next contract began July 6, 2022. Essentia Health is committed to working through the usual process of bargaining in good faith to come to a mutually beneficial agreement.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, February 24, 2023 Update

We are glad to announce that Virginia nurses represented by the Minnesota Nurses Association voted on Friday, February 24, to approve a new labor agreement with Essentia Health. The three-year contract covers about 100 nurses working at Essentia Health–Virginia. This positive outcome is the result of good faith bargaining in which both parties worked hard in pursuit of a contract that benefits our nurses and our organization. Most importantly, we believe the agreement allows us to continue providing high-quality care close to home for the patients we are privileged to serve in Virginia and the surrounding communities.

At Essentia, we are privileged to have skilled, compassionate nurses, and we value their contributions to make a healthy difference in people’s lives.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, February 15, 2023 Update

We are pleased to announce Essentia Health and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract that covers more than 100 nurses working at Essentia Health–Virginia. This positive outcome is the result of good faith bargaining in which both parties worked hard in pursuit of a contract that benefits our nurses, our organization and — most importantly — our patients.

As part of this tentative agreement, the MNA negotiating committee has agreed to recommend ratification and will hold a ratification vote on or before February 24, which is an internal union process. We will communicate the results of that vote when we learn them.

We appreciate the hard work of the bargaining teams to reach a mutually agreeable contract that supports our commitment to providing high-quality health care for our patients and communities. At Essentia, we are privileged to have skilled, compassionate nurses, and we value their contributions to make a healthy difference in people’s lives.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, January 30, 2023 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA met on Friday, January 27, to continue negotiations in Virginia. Most of the conversation focused on the full economic package and its impact on sustainable healthcare in the region. Essentia offered to increase its wage proposal and withdraw its proposal on modified block scheduling. We remain committed to this process and look forward to continuing negotiations at the next bargaining session February 7.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, January 17, 2023 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA met today to continue negotiations in Virginia. The parties discussed several issues including block scheduling and closed units and exchanged economic proposals. We are awaiting a response from the MNA on our current proposal. The next bargaining session is scheduled for January 27, and we look forward to continuing progress toward a mutually beneficial solution.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, December 21, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA met today to continue negotiations in Virginia. The parties had an abbreviated day due to severe weather conditions. The parties discussed several issues and exchanged full proposals, including economics. Two tentative agreements were reached on language issues. 

We look forward to continuing progress at the bargaining table and are looking at dates in early January. 

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, December 13, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA met today to continue negotiations in Virginia. The parties discussed several issues and exchanged full proposals, including economics. The MNA presented its proposal in the morning and Essentia provided its response at the end of the day. Tentative agreement was reached on bereavement.

We look forward to continuing progress at the bargaining table during the next session scheduled for December 21.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, November 16, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA met again today to continue negotiations in Virginia. Discussions were positive and productive. Tentative agreements were reached on floating, posting of positions and vacation. The parties are close to a tentative agreement on bereavement. We look forward to working together to find solutions at the next bargaining session scheduled for December 13. We continue to look for additional dates.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, November 7, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA met again today to discuss bargaining issues in Virginia. Discussions were positive, and topics included shift differentials, sick leave, and wages.

Two tentative agreements were reached on other proposals.

Essentia will provide a response to current MNA proposals at the next bargaining date, which is scheduled for November 16.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, October 27, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA met again today to discuss bargaining issues in Virginia. Discussions were very positive and collaborative. The two teams did a deep dive into on-call and identified local issues as to how on-call is administered and started working together to resolve those issues in a way that works best for Virginia nurses and how we deliver care. The next bargaining dates are scheduled for November 7 and 16.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, October 11, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA conducted bargaining again today for the fifth time toward a new Virginia contract. On the previous day of negotiations, Essentia provided a full response on all open issues; the union did not move on any open issues at the table today.

The parties discussed proposals including block scheduling and other staffing measures. Essentia is sharing more information with the MNA about its block and variable scheduling proposal. The parties also discussed points raised by the MNA regarding on-call scheduling for OB nurses. We will reconvene for negotiations on October 27.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, September 29, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA conducted bargaining again today for the fourth time toward a new Virginia contract. The parties discussed several proposals including block scheduling and defining the role of casual nurses. The union requested more information about Essentia’s block scheduling proposal which we will provide at the next bargaining session.

Today also included some discussion about wages. Essentia Health is offering a total of 10 percent over three years plus an increase to the differential for those nurses with a baccalaureate nursing degree. The MNA responded, and we look forward to discussing further at the next bargaining session scheduled for October 11.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Virginia Bargaining, August 25, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA met again today for bargaining for a new Virginia contract. The parties had robust open dialogue discussing both parties’ proposals in more depth and reached tentative agreements on several small items. The teams will continue working on creative, mutual solutions with a focus on the remaining issues that impact the Virginia hospital. We look forward to the next bargaining date, scheduled for September 29.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Bargaining, July 13, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA continued collective bargaining for a new Virginia contract on July 13, 2022. The parties had good dialogue discussing both parties’ proposals in more depth and reached tentative agreements on a few items.

The next bargaining date is currently being scheduled.

Essentia Health is committed to good-faith bargaining and reaching a mutually agreeable settlement that supports our Mission of making a healthy difference in people’s lives while keeping Essentia nursing jobs among the best in the communities we are privileged to serve and supporting excellence in patient care.

Essentia Health and Minnesota Nurses Association Bargaining, July 6, 2022 Update

Essentia Health and the MNA began collective bargaining for a new Virginia contract on July 6, 2022. The parties exchanged initial proposals, followed by a short bargaining session. The next scheduled bargaining date is July 13, 2022.

Essentia Health looks forward to productive meetings ahead because we have a long history of reaching mutually acceptable agreements with the MNA for more than 50 years across our system.

 

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.