Doctors, PAs, and NPs at Allina Health Announce Nov. 5 Strike as Contract Talks Stall

Doctors, PAs, and NPs at Allina Health Announce Nov. 5 Strike as Contract Talks Stall

MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL — October 26, 2025 — More than 600 primary care providers across 61 Allina Health clinics — including doctors, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants — have announced plans for a one-day strike on Tuesday, November 5, if a contract agreement is not reached in the next scheduled bargaining sessions.

The Doctors Council SEIU, which represents the clinicians, filed a 10-day unfair labor practice strike notice on Friday and held a press conference announcing the action. The union, which began negotiating its first contract with Allina Health in February 2024 after unionizing in late 2023, says the walkout could mark the first physician strike in Minnesota’s history and one of the largest among private-practice providers nationwide.

Key Issues Driving the Strike

Union leaders say the strike centers on Allina Health’s alleged refusal to bargain over critical issues tied to safe staffing, burnout, and compensation.

“Even after 20 months of bargaining, Allina is refusing to negotiate over safe staffing levels for our clinics,” said Dr. Matt Hoffman, a family physician at Allina’s Vadnais Heights Clinic. “They’re refusing to bargain over things that we consider basic contract items like health care, retirement, and sick leave.”

The Doctors Council has proposed minimum staffing requirements for clinical assistants and nurses, arguing that current shortages delay care and erode patient safety. Dr. Cora Walsh, another family physician, said that patients sometimes wait more than an hour for lab work or are redirected to emergency departments because of inadequate staffing. She also criticized Allina’s recent decision to outsource much of its lab work to Quest Diagnostics, calling it a move that worsens service delays and disrupts continuity of care.

Providers also want protections for administrative time, noting that documentation and patient communication duties routinely extend into evenings and weekends. Dr. Nick VenOsdel, a pediatrician, said burnout and ethical strain have driven many colleagues to leave primary care altogether.

“We love caring for our patients, but we’ve seen too many of our colleagues leave,” Hoffman added. “We cannot let that cycle continue.”

Allina Health Calls Demands “Unsustainable”

In a statement, Allina Health said it remains committed to reaching an agreement but called the union’s demands “unrealistic” amid industry-wide financial pressures.

“Given the rising cost of health care, ongoing financial challenges for providers, and anticipated reimbursement reductions in programs like Medicaid, we cannot agree to a contract that adds significant new costs,” an Allina spokesperson said. “Our top priority remains ensuring patients continue to receive high-quality care, and we are developing contingency plans to minimize disruptions during the strike.”

Allina’s online bargaining updates cite financial strain due to inflation and declining reimbursements. The health system says it seeks a “market-competitive and sustainable” agreement for both clinicians and patients.

Clinic Closures and Final Bargaining Sessions

The strike announcement comes as Allina Health prepares to close four Twin Cities clinics on November 1, with another scheduled to close in February. These closures follow a series of service changes, including the end of kidney transplant surgeries at Abbott Northwestern Hospital and the planned closure of a chemical dependency unit at Mercy Hospital.

Union officials said the one-day strike was designed to minimize the impact on patient care while sending a clear message about the need for fair staffing and equitable compensation. Picket lines are planned at clinics in Coon Rapids, Richfield, and West St. Paul.

Two final bargaining sessions are set for October 29 and November 3. “Our hope is that through those sessions, Allina will come to the table and work with us to achieve a fair contract that improves primary care,” Hoffman said.

If no deal is reached, the November 5 action would mark a historic moment in Minnesota’s medical labor movement — signaling growing unrest among frontline clinicians over working conditions and patient care standards in one of the state’s largest health systems.

MinneapoliMedia