Twin Cities Allina hospice nurses reach tentative deal on first-ever contract

Dozens of Twin Cities Allina Health hospice nurses reached a tentative agreement Wednesday on their first contract with the health system after more than a year of bargaining, their union says.

Nurses are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreement Monday.

Service Employees International Union Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa says the deal was reached shortly before nurses — who unionized in March 2025 — were set to vote on authorizing an open-ended strike. Every nurse voted in favor of authorizing last month's seven-day strike. Nurses also hit the picket lines for one day in July.

The union says the deal includes a "fair and consistent" wage scale system; immediate raises for all, with some seeing a 10% salary bump; overtime pay; and a fairer mileage-reimbursement system.

Allina Health gave this statement on the matter to WCCO Thursday: "Allina Health is pleased to share it has reached a tentative agreement with its hospice nurses represented by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa. The agreement will need to be ratified by union members in the coming days."

News of the agreement comes amid Allina Health's planned merger with California-based Sutter Health, which is currently under review by the Minnesota Attorney General's office.

Last month, SEIU and other unions called on Allina and Sutter to "negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement to make their long-term commitments to Minnesotans clear, public and binding."

Nurses are scheduled to vote on the tentative agreement Monday.