Minnesota nurses’ union gives notice of strike

Around 15,000 Minnesota nurses are planning to strike later this month over the lack of a new contract.  The walkout will primarily impact hospitals in the Twin Cities and Twin Ports.

MNA President Mary Turner says nurses have met with hospital executives who have continued to refuse solutions to short-staffing… retention…and better patient care.  Turner says hospital CEO’s are earning million dollar salaries while nurses are understaffed and overworked.

Hospitals have argued that the proposals by the union and its nurses are too costly. The nurses are seeking more than 30% increases in compensation by the end of the three-year contract while the hospitals have offered 10% to 12%.

According to Turner the nurses are determined to take a stand at the bargaining table.

The three day strike – billed as the largest private nurses’ strike in U.S. history – will begin September 12^th.