We’re committed to ensuring you have access to the information you need to make the most informed personal decision possible for you, your family, and our teams about union membership and collective bargaining.
At this point, you may have already received information and/or heard rumors about unionization and your legal rights. We encourage you to closely review all the facts and ensure you have a full, accurate picture of what union representation could mean for you.
Important Information for Essentia Health East Market Advanced Practice Providers (APPs)
Recently, the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking the right to represent East Market Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) in collective bargaining with Essentia Health.
Specifically, the union is seeking an election to win the right to represent full-time and part-time nurse practitioners, physician assistants/physician associates, certified nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists at Essentia facilities in the East Market.
It’s important that you consider all the facts as you learn more about union representation — including how the collective bargaining process works, what you should know about union promises, the costs of membership and the potential risks for the communities we serve.
What You Should Know about the Collective Bargaining Process
If APPs vote to unionize with the MNA, the MNA and Essentia Health would engage in collective bargaining in an effort to reach agreement regarding APP wages, benefits, and working conditions.
During this process, Essentia leaders would negotiate in good faith. But good-faith bargaining doesn’t mean you would automatically get anything more than you have now. In collective bargaining, nothing is automatic or guaranteed.
Collective bargaining can be like a tug-of-war – difficult, time consuming and with an uncertain outcome. In the end, you could end up with more, the same things you have now, or even less than you have now. There are no guarantees in collective bargaining.
Union “Promises” are Part of the Union’s Sales Pitch
During the union’s campaign to win your support, you might hear rumors or misinformation about the union’s ability to deliver certain results (i.e., more money, better benefits, a stronger voice, etc.). In truth, union organizers can promise anything, but they have no legal way to guarantee they can/will deliver on any promise.
Union promises are part of a carefully crafted union sales pitch which is intentionally designed to convince you to support, elect and pay the union for their representation services. But that doesn’t mean any (or all) of the union’s promises will materialize as a result of collective bargaining.
The Costs for APPs Would Be Significant
The MNA charges members $76.20 in monthly dues (or $914.40 per year). The following table shows how much money the MNA could collect in union dues from APPs every year and over the life of a typical three-year agreement. These figures could explain the union’s motivation for organizing APPs.
| Union Dues Per Year Per Colleague | Approx. # of APPs in Proposed Voting Unit | Est. Total Yearly Dues Paid by Essentia APPs | Est. Total Dues Paid by Essentia APPs Over 3 Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| $ 914.40 | 400 | $ 365,760.00 | $ 1,097,280.00 |
As the table above indicates, all East Market APPs could end up being expected to pay MNA $365,760.00 every year (or over $1 million over the life of a typical three-year contract). This is in addition to the roughly $1,830,000 the MNA already collects annually from Essentia Health registered nurses.
The Risks for Patients and the Communities We Serve Are Real
When collective bargaining breaks down, unions often call their members out on strike in an effort to force management to agree to union demands. Essentia Health has experienced first-hand what happens when collective bargaining breaks down and unions, like the MNA, call caregivers out on strike. In short, health care strikes are disruptive and put patients and communities at risk.
We feel strongly that our colleagues and patients are better served when leaders and providers work together (as team members rather than opponents) to support our patients and communities.
We Could All Lose the Flexibility We Now Enjoy in Working Together (regarding schedules, hours of work, etc.).
Collective bargaining typically means collective treatment. Through good-faith bargaining, a union and management negotiate a contract that must then be applied to all bargaining unit members equally, without exception.
Today, without a union between us, we are committed to being fair about colleague requests. However, with a union, we would be required to follow all terms of any collective bargaining agreement that might be reached – including potential restrictions that differ from how we do things now. If you are a person who likes the flexibility we now enjoy, you could be disappointed if this was no longer an option under a union contract.
The possibility of losing the flexibility you now have to work with your supervisor (to determine schedules and hours of work) is just one example of how unionization and the uncertainties of collective bargaining could negatively impact your work experience at Essentia Health.
Voting No to the MNA Allows You to Keep All Your Options Open
The MNA wants APPs to elect and pay the MNA for representation. We understand that more members and dues income are good for the MNA; but will unionization be good for you, our patients and the communities we serve?
Consider this: If the NLRB schedules an election for East Market APPs – you can vote “no” – and take 12 months to work with Essentia leaders. If, after 12 months, you feel we have let you down the union will always be there.