Doctors strike: Allina Unity, Mercy Hospitals to see 4-day picket starting Monday
500+ Allina doctors, providers set to unionize
Hundreds of doctors and other top medical providers with Allina Health are getting ready to vote on whether to unionize. If the vote goes through, the group would be the largest private-sector health union in the country?s history. It includes more than 500 doctors, nurse practitioners and physician assistants across 56 primary care and urgent care clinics. The clinics are all in Minnesota, except for one in River Falls, Wisconsin.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A group of doctors at two Allina hospitals is heading to the picket line after years of what they call unsuccessful negotiations.
Allina doctors strike
By the numbers:
About 150 doctors at Allina Unity and Mercy Hospitals, represented by Doctors Council-SEIU, say they are set to strike starting Sept. 14 after the last scheduled bargaining session failed to produce a first union contract.
The doctors voted with 91% support to authorize the strike in June, according to the union. The group has been bargaining for more than three years and is still pushing for what they describe as basic protections, including paid sick days and a greater say in patient care.
The unit includes more than 150 members — including OBGYNs, psychiatrists and critical care physicians.
What they're saying:
Dr. Alia Sharif, an internal medicine physician at Mercy/Unity Hospital who has worked for Allina since 2009 and is a member of the Doctors Council-SEIU bargaining team, described the group's frustration after yet another session ended without a deal.
"We are so disappointed in Allina. We have come to the table repeatedly in good faith to get a contract that provides us with protections and basic rights like paid sick days, yet we have bargained for 3 years without feeling like we are making significant movement," said Sharif. "We have been left with no choice but to strike. We made this decision with great trepidation and are disheartened by Allina's attitude at the table. We are united and ready to strike to get our first contract so we can continue to do what is best: care and advocate for our patients!"
Locations of the picket lines are set to be announced in the coming days, the union says.
Big picture view:
This comes as Allina Hospice nurses announced their own 7-day strike set to begin on Friday.
The strike also comes as California-based Sutter Health is attempting to purchase Allina Health, which is currently being reviewed by the Minnesota attorney general.
Allina Health responds
The other side:
Allina Health released the following statement in response:
"Caring for our patients and care team members is Allina Health's top priority. We are disappointed that two SEIU-represented groups have chosen to strike. We have comprehensive plans in place to maintain safe, high-quality, compassionate care for patients and families during this brief strike activity and to ensure no disruption in care for our communities.
"Mercy Hospital's Coon Rapids campus and Unity campus in Fridley will continue normal operations, with no disruption to services during the potential four days when a small portion of physicians may not be working. We also have expert nurses and plans in place to maintain continuity of care for our hospice patients and their families.
- Doctors Council SEIU represents about 10% of the physicians credentialed to provide care at Mercy Hospital’s two campuses, and not all SEIU-represented physicians will be on strike.
- SEIU Healthcare hospice nurses bargaining unit includes approximately 60 nurses who provide care in homes, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities across the greater Twin Cities metro area. The strike does not involve nurses at Allina Health hospitals, primary care clinics, urgent care clinics or specialty clinics.
"Allina Health values the care provided by our physicians, hospice nurses and all care team members. We are committed to reaching agreements that provide competitive compensation and benefits for our teams. However, we must also act responsibly in reaching agreements on first contracts that will have a lasting impact on the cost and availability of care in the community.
"For hospice care, approximately 90% of our hospice reimbursement is Medicare. For 2027, Medicare finalized a payment increase for hospice care of just 2.3%, which does not come close to covering the significant cost increases the union is proposing. In addition, Allina Health faces rising costs for drugs, supplies and labor, ongoing reimbursement pressures, increases in claim denials from insurance companies, and anticipated impacts from federal policy and reimbursement changes.
"We will continue to work with both unions to reach fair agreements, but these negotiations cannot be divorced from the economics that are impacting both patients and health care systems.
"We look forward to continuing discussions with both unions at the negotiating table."
The Source: This story uses information shared by the SEIU, Allina Health and previous FOX 9 reporting.