Hospice nurses at Minnesota-based Allina Health vote to authorize 7-day unfair labor practice strike

Hospice nurses who work for Minnesota-based Allina Health have voted to authorize a seven-day unfair labor practice strike, the union representing them said on Monday.

According to Service Employees International Union Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa, all workers who cast a ballot on Friday voted in favor of the strike.

The authorization comes amid negotiations to reach a first contract that have been happening for more than a year, SEIU said. Members allege Allina Health is opposed to "creating a fair compensation system that would give nurses extra pay for extra work"  and refuses to pay salaried registered nurses a holiday premium when they are required to work on holidays. The union added that the company also doesn't allow hospice nurses to flex their schedules.

"It's frustrating and disappointing to be here again," Amy Rich, a hospice nurse case manager with Allina Health, said.     

Rich says Allina Health offered "almost no movement" in response to a proposal made by the union last week.

In response to the authorization, Allina Health said, in part, "While this vote does not guarantee a strike will occur, it shifts focus away from ongoing discussions at the bargaining table. Negotiations have included the assistance of a federal mediator, and we look forward to meeting with the union on Friday. While we remain committed to providing competitive compensation to all care team members, we must ensure we reach a sustainable agreement, which is best done through good-faith negotiations at the bargaining table."

The bargaining unit includes over 60 hospice nurses who provide care services in patients' homes, assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities. Allina Health says they work in the Twin Cities metro. 

If the seven-day strike were to happen, the union would need to provide a 10-day notice to Allina Health.

In July, the hospice workers staged a one-day strike for similar reasons outside Allina Health's headquarters in Minneapolis. 

The move also comes as Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison reviews California-based Sutter Health's proposed acquisition of Allina Health. The union says a coalition of community organizations and labor unions is "demanding that Sutter and Allina negotiate a Community Benefits Agreement to make their long-term commitments to Minnesotans clear, public and binding."