The union represents 70 staff members at Essentia Health-Deer River (Minn.) and the nearby Essentia Health-Homestead nursing home in skilled maintenance, technical and service roles.
A mediator from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services will participate in the upcoming negotiations, according to a Jan. 14 joint statement from the union and health system shared with Becker’s.
“We remain committed to achieving a contract with the Service Employees International Union that recognizes the important contributions of these valued colleagues while also ensuring continued access to high-quality health care for our patients in Deer River and the surrounding communities,” an Essentia spokesperson said in a Jan. 10 statement shared with Becker’s.
Essentia said its offers have been market-competitive.
“We cook, clean, do laundry, prepare surgeries, provide emergency ER care, do X-rays, MRIs and so much more,” Janelle Denny, a sterile processing worker, said in a union news release shared with Becker’s when the strike began. “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.”
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