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Nurses who recently struck five Allina Health facilities say the company is attempting to negotiate a new contract directly with members and through the news media – rather than following the collective bargaining process.
Allina announced Monday a new offer, extending two of the union-supported health insurance plans to Dec. 31, 2019. After that date, all nurses would move to plans offered to other Allina employees.
The Minnesota Nurses Association, which represents about 5,000 Allina Health registered nurses, called Allina’s approach “atypical.”
The union said in a statement, “Nurses will review the latest Allina proposal, but they are disappointed in Allina’s attempt to negotiate through the media and around their elected bargaining team representatives. Instead, Allina issued a proposal to the public when they knew nurses were back to the bedside.
“It’s another example of refusing to talk to the nurses and truly discuss any proposal with them that illustrates that they care about the nurses’ health, nurse safety or staffing levels. Our position has been clear from the beginning – nurses will not take a step backward economically in the next contract.”
Meanwhile, MNA said it continues to assist in getting all nurses called back to work after the weeklong strike that ended Sunday. Some nurses at Unity Hospital in Fridley and United Hospital in St. Paul have not been returned to work.
“Allina Health is delaying calling them because of the low patient volumes in those two hospitals,” the union said. “This affects approximately 200 nurses.”