Health care union members at HealthPartners’ Stillwater Medical Group could conduct a four-day unfair labor practice strike as early as July 8 if an agreement with HealthPartners isn’t reached by then.
The union that represents the members of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa on Thursday notified HealthPartners officials that they had filed an intent to strike with the state Bureau of Mediation Services. That action triggers an automatic 10-day cooling-off period, which is required under state law.
Melissa Sirek, a certified medical assistant at HealthPartners SMG and a member of the union’s bargaining team, said union members are valued and appreciated by their patients.
“We just want our employer to do the same,” Sirek said. “It feels like the long-term employees, with our dedication and loyalty, are being forgotten and overlooked. We need to see the employer put more money on the table for wages and benefits. They’re willing to pay temps significantly more money to do the same work we do. We would be able to retain more employees, and we wouldn’t need to use temps if our wages and benefits were better.”
The two sides are set to bargain on Friday.
Said Sirek: “If (HealthPartners) can’t offer us the wages and benefits we deserve at the bargaining table, then our membership is ready to go on strike to demand it.”
In a statement in response to the filing, HealthPartners said: “Our colleagues represented by SEIU Healthcare are a valuable part of our team. We remain committed to working with union leaders to reach a fair and financially responsible agreement. Our next bargaining session is Friday.”
The union consists of more than 80 workers including licensed practical nurses, certified medical assistants and other service-unit healthcare positions in the family medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics and specialties departments at the clinic.
Nurses strike also threatened at hospitals in Twin Cities, Duluth
Meanwhile, more than 15,000 nurses at 11 hospitals in the Twin Cities and two in Duluth voted earlier this week to authorize an unfair labor practice strike.
The Minnesota Nurses Association says it has been negotiating with the hospitals for three months. Staffing levels are the nurses’ top issue, the MNA said after the Monday vote.
The strike vote authorizes a strike should bargaining teams deem one necessary.
In the Twin Cities, the union is negotiating with Allina Health, Children’s Minnesota, North Memorial Health, M Health Fairview and HealthPartners’ Methodist Hospital. Aspirus St. Luke’s and Essentia Health in Duluth are also involved in the talks.
Any strike would be preceded by a 10-day notice to the hospital systems, who oppose the union’s preferred approach to staffing levels: strict nurse-patient ratios.
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