Allina union doctors hold picket calling for fair contract, better patient care

Allina union doctors picket for fair contract

Allina Health union doctors held a picket on Tuesday morning to advocate for contracts that ensure better patient care and improved treatment for healthcare workers. The union formed in October 2023 and have still not yet reached a contract agreement. FOX 9's Se Kwon has more on the story.

COON RAPIDS, Minn. (FOX 9) - A recently-formed union for doctors at Allina Health held its first-ever picket on Tuesday morning. 

Doctors picket at Allina clinics

What happened:

Doctors joined the picket lines at Allina clinics across the metro, advocating for contracts that ensure better patient care and improved treatment for healthcare workers. 

Union members say they’re still fighting for better pay, increased security at clinics, dedicated training and meeting times, better supporting staff, and better autonomy in decision making. But they say patient care is the ultimate priority.

Allina doctors and healthcare professionals voted to form a union back in October 2023, creating the Doctors Council SEIU Local 10MD. The union includes more than 600 members and covers clinics in Minnesota and one in River Falls, Wis. 

When forming the union, doctors said they were driven by concerns over staffing shortages. Since then, doctors say they’ve taken part in 40 bargaining sessions with the health care company.

What they're saying:

In a response to the pickets, Allina Health says patients would not see disruptions in their care as doctors went back to work shortly afterward.

"Allina Health deeply values the dedication of our care team members who provide exceptional care to our patients and the communities we serve," a statement from the health care provider reads. "We continue to negotiate in good faith with Doctors Council SEIU and seek to reach responsible agreements that maintain competitive pay and benefits for our providers while ensuring that we can sustain our caring mission during these extremely uncertain economic times. Allina Health and the union were fully aware they would be charting new territory in creating these first contracts, and it is important to get it right. We remain committed to reaching fair agreements that ensure we can maintain access to the high-quality care people depend on."

What's next:

It’s not clear when the two sides will meet again for negotiations.