Allina Health hospice nurses announce 7-day strike

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - More than 60 hospice nurses at Allina Health say they will walk off the job on Friday after a final bargaining session ended without a deal.

READ MORE: Allina doctors at Unity, Mercy hospitals file strike notice after 3 years without contract

Hospice nurses strike at Allina Health 

What they're saying:

The nurses, who are members of Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Healthcare Minnesota and Iowa, voted unanimously to authorize a 7-day Unfair Labor Practice strike after more than a year of contract negotiations and a one-day Unfair Labor Practice strike in July failed to produce meaningful progress.

READ MORE: Allina hospice nurses authorize 7-day strike amid contract talks

The group provides end-of-life care in patients' homes, assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities. 

The nurses say they are demanding extra compensation for additional hours worked, holiday pay and more "reasonable" scheduling.

What they're saying:

Dawn Sloneker, an RN Case Manager and member of the SEIU bargaining team, said the final session left her feeling unheard.

"I feel frustrated, dismissed and disrespected. I feel like Allina just isn't hearing what some of our core concerns are," said Sloneker in a news release. "It seems their perspective is all about the dollars and cents. Our group of hospice nurses are fighting for much more than our wage increases. We are fighting for extra compensation for all the extra hours we are required to work. We are fighting for holiday pay. We are fighting for reasonable schedules that allow us to live our lives, plus much more."

Sloneker said the union made concessions during Tuesday's session in an effort to reach an agreement, but said Allina would not move on anything beyond wages.

"Our membership is united around not settling for a contract that leaves these critical priorities out. We made a lot of concessions in yesterday's negotiations on issues of real importance to our membership," said Sloneker. "We wanted to try to reach an agreement. However, the employer made it clear they weren't going to keep moving toward us on anything substantial other than wages. That is not enough for our nurses to honor the work we do every day caring for dying patients and their families."

What's next:

The two sides do not have any further bargaining dates scheduled. 

The union said it will share more details on the time and location of the picket demonstrations.

Allina Health responds

The other side:

Allina Health released the following statement in response:

"Caring for our patients and care team members is Allina Health's top priority. We are disappointed that two SEIU-represented groups have chosen to strike. We have comprehensive plans in place to maintain safe, high-quality, compassionate care for patients and families during this brief strike activity and to ensure no disruption in care for our communities.

"Mercy Hospital's Coon Rapids campus and Unity campus in Fridley will continue normal operations, with no disruption to services during the potential four days when a small portion of physicians may not be working. We also have expert nurses and plans in place to maintain continuity of care for our hospice patients and their families.

• Doctors Council SEIU represents about 10% of the physicians credentialed to provide care at Mercy Hospital’s two campuses, and not all SEIU-represented physicians will be on strike.
• SEIU Healthcare hospice nurses bargaining unit includes approximately 60 nurses who provide care in homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities across the greater Twin Cities metro area. The strike does not involve nurses at Allina Health hospitals, primary care clinics, urgent care clinics or specialty clinics.

"Allina Health values the care provided by our physicians, hospice nurses and all care team members. We are committed to reaching agreements that provide competitive compensation and benefits for our teams. However, we must also act responsibly in reaching agreements on first contracts that will have a lasting impact on the cost and availability of care in the community.

"For hospice care, approximately 90% of our hospice reimbursement is Medicare. For 2027, Medicare finalized a payment increase for hospice care of just 2.3%, which does not come close to covering the significant cost increases the union is proposing. In addition, Allina Health faces rising costs for drugs, supplies and labor, ongoing reimbursement pressures, increases in claim denials from insurance companies, and anticipated impacts from federal policy and reimbursement changes.

"We will continue to work with both unions to reach fair agreements, but these negotiations cannot be divorced from the economics that are impacting both patients and health care systems.

"We look forward to continuing discussions with both unions at the negotiating table."

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