Twin Cities Nurses Reach Tentative Agreement, Averting Strike; Duluth Nurses Set To Strike Next Week
ST. PAUL, MN – July 4, 2025 – A potential strike involving thousands of Twin Cities nurses has been averted after the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) reached a tentative agreement with major metropolitan hospital systems on Thursday. However, nurses in Duluth and surrounding areas are still without a deal and are slated to begin an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike on Monday, July 8.
The tentative agreement in the Twin Cities covers approximately 12,000 nurses across nine metro-area hospitals, including facilities under Allina Health, Children's Minnesota, M Health Fairview, HealthPartners, and North Memorial Health. The deal comes after nearly four months of intense negotiations, addressing key issues such as staffing levels, workplace violence, and wages.
According to the MNA, highlights of the proposed three-year contract for Twin Cities nurses include:
New language to implement Minnesota's updated break law.
Enhanced tools and provisions to address workplace violence.
A 10% wage increase over three years (3% in the first year, 4% in the second, and 3% in the third).
MNA President Chris Rubesch, RN, emphasized the union's focus throughout negotiations. "Nurses have always said this fight isn't just about contracts, it's about safe care," Rubesch stated. "We heard from our members loud and clear: staffing levels were the number one priority in these negotiations, for the first time ahead of wages, and it will continue to be a principal concern as we move forward caring for our patients in the future."
The Twin Cities agreement resolves previous unfair labor practice charges filed by the MNA against the hospital systems. Nurses will now vote to ratify the tentative contract in the coming weeks.
Duluth Nurses Prepare for Action
While their Twin Cities counterparts celebrate a breakthrough, approximately 2,000 nurses in the Duluth and Superior areas are still facing a contract impasse. These nurses, primarily from Essentia Health and Aspirus St. Luke's hospitals and clinics, are preparing to initiate a ULP strike on July 8. Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) at Essentia Health are also slated to join the strike on July 10, marking the first time APPs in Minnesota will participate in such a work stoppage.
The MNA has filed numerous unfair labor practice charges against Essentia Health and Aspirus St. Luke's, citing concerns over bad faith bargaining, denying access to union representatives, and surveillance of protected union activity. Nurses in Duluth have been working without a contract since June 30.
"The campaign may be over for now in the Metro, but the fight for safe staffing and patient care is far from over," Rubesch commented on the ongoing situation in Duluth. "Nurses will continue to stand with our union siblings at Essentia facilities, united in the fight for a fair bargaining process."
The MNA stated that Aspirus St. Luke's nurses pulled their strike notice after more than 30 hours of continuous negotiation led to significant progress towards a tentative agreement, with minor details still to be finalized early next week. However, the strike remains on schedule for Essentia Health facilities.
Hospitals in Duluth have indicated they are working to minimize disruption to patient care should the strike proceed. The looming strike has raised concerns about access to care in the Twin Ports region.
Both the Twin Cities hospitals and the MNA had previously issued strike authorization votes in late June, involving over 15,000 nurses statewide. The Twin Cities resolution offers a sigh of relief for patients and healthcare providers in the metropolitan area, but the focus now shifts to Duluth as negotiations continue to avoid a disruptive strike.
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