Nurses to pursue wage-only negotiations

Minnesota Nurses Association members have voted to enter into wage-only negotiations on 2016-2019 contract agreements with five of the six Twin Cities hospital systems, the union announced. More than 6,000 nurses will be affected. Negotiations between MNA representatives and hospital negotiators began Jan. 14.
 
MNA representatives began talking to the five employers about wage-only negotiations in November. Once MNA and the five systems agreed, nurses took that option to a vote, which was held at each hospital Wednesday. Nurses voted at Children’s Hospitals, including Minneapolis and St. Paul; Fairview hospitals, Southdale and Riverside; HealthEast, which are Bethesda, St. John’s, and St. Joseph’s; North Memorial Medical Center and Methodist Hospital.
 
“Nurses agreed to open the contract in wage-only negotiations through a voting process with a strong nurse turnout,” the union said. “The result authorizes nurses and employers to discuss wages for the next three-year contract that begins June 1, 2016, but other issues, such as health benefits and pensions, will be off the table.”

Nurses will vote on the outcome of negotiations next Tuesday in an all-day vote.
 
Allina hospital management refused to be part of this process, the union reported. The 6,000 nurses at Allina hospitals will begin negotiations in the next several weeks. This affects nurses at Abbott Northwestern, Phillips Eye Institute, Mercy, United and Unity. A rally to inform and unify Allina nurses is planned for Feb. 6, the union said.