REGIONAL- The Minnesota Nurses Association notified Essentia Health on Monday that it will launch an unfair labor practice strike beginning July 10, affecting the Essentia clinic in Ely and urgent care and clinic facilities in Virginia.
The strike follows failed negotiations over what the union calls unfair labor practices and inadequate working conditions.
“Despite spending another eight hours attempting to negotiate with Essentia and St. Luke’s, they continue to bargain in bad faith and not address the ULPs (unfair labor practice claims) nurses have already filed,” said Chris Rubesch, president of the Minnesota Nurses Association. “No nurse wants to walk off the job, but these employers have left us with no other option.”

Key issues in dispute
The union cites three primary concerns: unsustainable staffing levels, corporate interference in clinical decisions, and restrictive non-compete clauses that limit access to rural health care.
The dispute centers partly on the composition of the bargaining unit, which includes nurse practitioners, physician assistants, certified nurse midwives, clinical nurse specialists, and other advanced patient providers. Essentia argues this structure violates National Labor Relations Board health care rules that historically separate hospital and clinic staff for collective bargaining purposes.
Keeping the groups separate can minimize patient care disruptions during strikes and work stoppages. The strike notice comes while Essentia seeks a review from the NLRB in Washington, D.C.
However, nearly 400 advanced patient providers across Essentia voted overwhelmingly to unionize in 2024, and the National Labor Relations Board certified that election.
“APPs are holding this system together and are essential in making sure patients in rural communities still have access to timely, quality care,” said Ann Vreeland, a nurse practitioner from Aurora. “So, if Essentia wants to take credit for strong outcomes, they need to start by recognizing the people who actually deliver that care.”

Essentia’s response
Essentia said it works with 55 bargaining units representing about 6,500 employees and successfully negotiated more than 20 contracts with individual bargaining units in the past year.
“Advanced practice providers are a vital part of caring for communities, not just in the Twin Ports but across our rural footprint in central and northern Minnesota,” said Dr. Krista Skorupa, east market president for Essentia Health. “A strike will not speed up the legal review process. At a time when rural health care is facing pronounced challenges, patients need more predictability not less. Over the next coming days, we will maintain our focus on our work to ensure care remains accessible and close to home across the communities we serve.”