Nurses strike over pay, understaffing

Thousands of nurses in Minnesota launched a three-day strike Monday, complaining of low salaries and understaffing worsened by the strains of the coronavirus pandemic. Some 15,000 nurses at seven health care systems in the Minneapolis and Duluth areas walked out.

The affected hospitals said they recruited temporary nurses and expected to maintain most services. Picket signs went up and strike chants began at 7 a.m. outside 15 Twin Cities and Duluth area hospitals.

The hospitals and the striking nurses said staff shortages are a shared concern. Minnesota Nurses Association president Mary Turner said pay raises are necessary to address the "crisis of retention" that would otherwise leave the hospitals severely understaffed. The hospitals have offered 10-12% wage increases but the nurses are seeking more than 30%. Hospital leaders called their wage demands unaffordable, noting that Allina and Fairview hospitals have posted operating losses and that the cost of such sharp wage increases would be passed along to patients.