About 15,000 Minnesota nurses are expected to strike for three days starting Monday morning after weekend talks failed to produce a contract.
The big picture: Union leaders say the three-day action is believed to be the largest private-sector nurse strike in U.S. history.
It will cover workers at 16 hospitals, including eight of the 10 largest in the Twin Cities area.
How we got here: A protracted contract dispute between members of the Minnesota Nurses Association and hospital systems has led to plans to strike.
Nurses are pushing for a pay rise of around 30% over three years, citing pandemic burnout and staff shortages. The hospitals, which offered almost 11%, say they cannot meet the union’s demands.
State of play: Several units were still at the negotiating table with their hospital systems over the weekend, but negotiators apparently failed to close the gap between the two sides.
An MNA spokesperson told Axios on Sunday afternoon that the strike is expected to continue as planned. It will start at 7am, which is when the night shift ends.
What to expect: Most hospitals told the Star Tribune they have been able to hire enough temporary nurses to avoid major interruptions in care, although Children’s Minnesota has delayed many elective surgeries. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. 🌱 Support local journalism by becoming a member. learn more
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