Hundreds of Allina Health workers vote to authorize strike
MINNEAPOLIS -- Over 500 healthcare workers with Allina Health may be on the picket line soon, union leaders announced Thursday.
Members of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa will start a seven-day unfair labor practice strike on May 15 if no deal is reached with the healthcare provider.
The union says there have been over 90 bargaining sessions across different groups and none have reached a first union contract.
SEIU says it is filing the required 10-day notice with Allina announcing the group's intention to strike.
Over 98% of workers in the union voted to authorize the strike.
Abbott Northwestern Hospital, Mercy and Unity Hospitals and Allina Central Lab could all be impacted by the strike.
Allina Health released this statement Thursday following the authorization:
Allina Health is frustrated by SEIU's choice to file a 10-day strike notice, especially after progress at a bargaining table yesterday. Throughout negotiations, we have offered fair agreements that recognize the priorities of all parties and are bargaining in good faith to reach agreement on these first contracts. Allina Health is prepared to make the necessary adjustments to ensure we meet the community's care needs for the duration of a potential work stoppage. To ensure care for our critical patients, some non-critical care such as routine tests may be delayed if there is a work stoppage. Patients would be contacted directly if there is any change in their appointments.
We are seeing unions become increasingly comfortable withholding care through strikes to achieve their agenda, despite the significant risk to the community. This trend is concerning, especially when the stakes for care to our patients are extremely high. Strikes don't benefit anyone and divert our limited charitable resources away from our mission to serve our community.
Allina Health is grateful for all members of our care teams. We are hopeful we can bring these negotiations to resolution in a manner that recognizes the contributions of our employees and is fiscally responsible for the organization so that we can be a sustainable asset for the community.