Today we are sharing some detailed information about the appeal to the National Labor Relations Board through an open letter to our patients and communities.
As a reminder, COBRA insurance information was mailed directly to homes of all colleagues covered by the strike notices, even if they have already shared their intent to work. The information will explain COBRA insurance coverage and the costs. Please watch your mailbox for that important communication.
July 15 Update
Thank you for providing care
We are deeply grateful for the advanced practice providers who have chosen to care for patients during the open-ended strike called by the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA).
In Essentia’s hospitals and clinics across the East Market, 54% of our APPs are providing patient care today, rather than walking the picket line.
We are hearing from many patients who say they appreciate the APPs coming in to work to give them access to high-quality, compassionate care.
Our patients and colleagues will continue to welcome our APP team members back to work. Please reach out to your leader or use this form for those planning to return.
Thank you for living our values to benefit our patients, our communities and one another.
Dr. Krista Skorupa, East Market President
Dr. Jason Schultz, East Market Chief Medical Officer
July 10 Update
Today was the first day of the Minnesota Nurses Association strike of Essentia’s East Market advanced practice providers (APPs). We appreciate the commitment of about half of our APPs who have chosen to provide care instead of strike. We look forward to continuing to care for patients with minimal disruptions while the strike is ongoing. If you are choosing to continue patient care, please use this form. If you would prefer not to fill out the form, you can also tell your leader of your plans to work.
Picket protocols: It’s important to note that staff can’t go back and forth between the picket line and work. To ensure continuity of patient care, those colleagues who decide to return to work will be scheduled to work for the remainder of the strike. Returning APPs may be asked to help where patient needs are greatest but would not be asked to work in an area outside their practice scope or credentials.
July 8 Update
The Minnesota Nurses Association has called for a strike of Essentia’s East Market advanced practice providers to commence on Thursday, July 10. We are committed to communicating with our APPs before, during and after the proposed strike. Please visit this page often for updates.
Continuing to care for patients: We thank the nearly half of our APPs who have shared with us they are planning to continue caring for patients during the strike. If you are choosing to continue patient care, please use this form. If you would prefer not to fill out the form, you can also tell your leader of your plans to work.
Thank you to all our colleagues for working together to advance our mission of making a healthy difference in people’s lives.
Background:
At Essentia, we’re grateful for the role our APPs play in delivering exceptional care, and we appreciate their patience as we follow NLRB processes.
Our Advanced Practice Providers are important professionals who provide thousands of clinic visits and hospital care for our patients. East Market APPs offer primary, surgical and specialty care to patients throughout east and central Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.
In June, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued a ruling that allowed roughly 400 East Market APPs to vote as a single bargaining unit on the subject of APP unionization.
Since the ruling, we’ve expressed serious concerns with the NLRB Regional Director’s decision. We view the Regional Director’s decision as a major departure from the NLRB’s long-standing application of its own Health Care Rule[1] which separates hospital and clinic staff for the purposes of collective bargaining.
A single bargaining unit covering such a large geographic footprint and wide variety of practice areas could negatively impact our ability to care for our patients. We continue to strongly believe that the Health Care Rule does apply in this case, and we are appealing the NLRB Regional Director’s decision.
Essentia Health’s appeal for the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) review of the Regional Director’s Decision and Direction of Election as it relates to the composition of the bargaining unit is still pending. Therefore, the Union’s request to start bargaining is premature.
The MNA is wrongly claiming that Essentia can bargain with the APPs and, at the same time, pursue its appeal with the NLRB. That view fails to acknowledge relevant legal precedent that directly contradicts the MNA message. In fact, the legal precedent supports Essentia’s view that Essentia cannot bargain with the union without waiving its right to appeal. As we have shared, a strike will have no bearing on the NLRB process, and Essentia has no intention of waiving its rights.
Throughout this process, our care teams remain focused on providing high-quality patient care and excellent service. We appreciate our APPs and all our care team members for their dedication to our patients and communities.
[1] https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/who-we-are/our-history/1974-health-care-amendments
Background information.
Key things to note.
Answers to top questions.