While negotiations over a multi-employer contract covering 3,500 hospital workers continue, Service Employees International Union Local 113 is enlisting community support to get a fair settlement.

A key issue is health care coverage ? which the union says has become unaffordable for health care workers.

The contract expired Feb. 28 for nursing assistants, dietary workers, housekeeping staff and others at HealthEast Bethesda Rehabilitation Hospitals in St. Paul and Minneapolis, HealthEast St. John's in Maplewood, Children's Hospitals in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Fairview University Medical Center-Riverside Campus, Fairview Southdale in Edina, North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale and Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park.

They are covered by a multi-employer contract with Local 113. Just before Feb. 28, the union reached a settlement with Allina-owned hospitals on a separate contract covering 2,500 workers.

Allina has taken a cooperative approach that respects the union's "Together for Quality Care" campaign launched in December, which focuses on improving quality and access to health care for workers, their families and communities, the union said.

Talks between Local 113 and the multi-employer association were scheduled to resume March 9. To highlight the workers' struggle, the Twin Cities Religion and Labor Network held a health care forum March 2 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. People filled the church pews to discuss the need to provide health care for everyone.

"In Catholic social teaching, we talk about health care as a human right and not just as a commodity," said Cathy Heying, a member of St. Stephen's Church in Minneapolis. "I think that is what's at the crux of the situation at Fairview.

"Just as health care workers help us in our time of need, it's up to us as a community to stand with these workers in their time of need."

Participants in the forum signed postcards that will be delivered to hospital executives, urging a fair contract. Many also signed up to phone management on behalf of the workers. They distributed copies of a resolution supporting hospital workers to be introduced at precinct caucuses March 7.

"This is our fight over the next several weeks," said Matt Gladue, director of the Religion and Labor Network.