Minnesota nurses rafity new contract with 14 Minneapolis-St. Paul hospitals, averting strike
By APWednesday, July 7, 2010
Minn. nurses approve deal, averting strike
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Nurses Association says nurses have overwhelmingly approved a contract and averted a strike with 14 hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.
The agreement approved Tuesday covers 12,000 nurses. The nurses originally had planned to go on strike starting Tuesday.
Union leaders had endorsed the deal that was tentatively reached last week.
Under the agreement, the nurses gave up their demand for rigid nurse-to-patient ratios and the hospitals withdrew their proposal to cut pension and health care benefits.
The nurses went on a one-day strike June 10, but the walkout originally scheduled for Tuesday was to be open-ended.
Online:
Minnesota Nurses Association: www.mnnurses.org
Twin Cities Hospitals: www.twincitieshospitals.com