The union represents 70 staff members at Essentia Health-Deer River and the nearby Essentia Health-Homestead nursing home. These workers fill skilled maintenance, technical and service roles, according to a Dec. 2 union news release shared with Becker’s. The hospital and nursing home are part of Duluth, Minn.-based Essentia Health, which employs more than 15,000 people.
Union members had previously held a five-day strike in early November. Despite subsequent bargaining sessions, they argue in a Dec. 9 Facebook post that Essentia Health has not made significant movement to avoid a second strike.
“We cook, clean, do laundry, prepare surgeries, provide emergency ER care, do X-rays, MRIs and so much more,” said Janelle Denny, a sterile processing worker, in a union news release shared with Becker’s. “We need fair wages to keep people longer than a couple years. If we have to be away from our families longer than our scheduled shifts, we should get bonuses.”
In a separate news release shared with Becker’s, Essentia Health stated that an updated contract proposal from the SEIU “was not a reasonable offer to bring us closer to a resolution and avoid a second SEIU strike.” The health system also called for union members to vote on Essentia Health’s latest proposal, which it said includes a wage increase of about 9% over three years and a competitive benefits package.
During the strike, aspects of hospital inpatient care and surgical care will be temporarily suspended, Essentia Health said, adding that it likely will not be able to admit new patients.
