By HOWIE HANSON
Editor & Publisher
DULUTH, Minn. — Nurses at Aspirus St. Luke’s Hospital have pulled back from the brink of a disruptive Unfair Labor Practice strike after an intense round of negotiations produced a breakthrough, union leaders announced Thursday.
But even as relief settled in at one major regional hospital, the specter of multiple walkouts still hangs over Essentia Health facilities across Duluth and Superior, where nurses and advanced practice providers are preparing to strike next week.
The Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) said St. Luke’s nurses spent more than 30 grueling hours in face-to-face bargaining sessions with hospital executives this week, working through deep-seated disputes over staffing levels, patient safety protections and economic issues.
The negotiations extended into the early morning hours Thursday, ultimately resulting in a tentative framework for a new contract that prompted the union to rescind its formal 10-day strike notice.
The pending agreement still needs final language hammered out, with details expected early next week. Union leaders said they would not release specifics on wage adjustments, staffing provisions or workplace safety clauses until the deal is finalized.
Stark contrast at Essentia
Even as tensions eased at St. Luke’s, union leaders made clear that the fight is far from over for hundreds of nurses and healthcare professionals employed by Essentia. Nurses at Essentia’s hospitals and clinics in Duluth and Superior are scheduled to begin a ULP strike on Tuesday, July 8, while the system’s East Market Advanced Practice Providers — who include nurse practitioners and physician assistants — are planning their own strike starting Thursday, July 10.
Negotiations with Essentia have grown increasingly strained in recent weeks, according to the MNA, with union representatives accusing hospital administrators of dragging their feet on key priorities such as workplace violence protections, safe patient assignments and fair wage proposals. For many clinic nurses and APPs, this is also a battle for their first-ever union contracts, heightening the stakes.
Hospital officials have said they’re preparing contingency plans to maintain patient services should the strikes proceed, but acknowledged that widespread walkouts could strain staffing and delay some non-emergency procedures.
A broader climate of union activism
The brewing showdowns in Duluth come as Minnesota’s healthcare sector continues to navigate a wave of labor activism. Earlier this week, nurses in the Twin Cities averted their own strike after locking in a deal with hospital systems there. Nurses have pointed to rising patient loads, lingering burnout from the pandemic, and heightened concerns over workplace assaults as urgent issues that can’t be deferred.
In Duluth, local business and community leaders are watching closely. While many sympathize with nurses’ calls for improved working conditions, there is also anxiety about how prolonged labor disputes could ripple through an already stretched regional healthcare system.
For now, relief at St. Luke’s offers a temporary reprieve — but the spotlight shifts squarely to Essentia, where both sides face critical days ahead that could shape the landscape of local healthcare for years to come.
Duluth to limit Lift Bridge openings for Fourth of July fireworks; Red, white and blue lights to mark holiday
DULUTH, Minn. — The city of Duluth announced modified hours for the Aerial Lift Bridge and Minnesota Slip Bridge on July 4 to accommodate the annual Independence Day fireworks display.
The Aerial Lift Bridge will remain lowered from 7 to 11 p.m. Thursday and will not lift for boats except in emergencies. The Minnesota Slip Bridge will also stay lowered from 8:30 to 11 p.m., halting openings for marine traffic during that period, with the same exception for emergency vessels.
As part of the holiday tradition, the Aerial Lift Bridge will be illuminated in red, white and blue to mark the Fourth of July.