Minnesota Nurses Association to picket at Essentia Health Moose Lake Hospital

Photo by: Minnesota Nurses Association - Facebook
Photo by: Minnesota Nurses Association - Facebook

(Moose Lake, MN) -- The Minnesota Nurses Association is planning to picket at Essentia Health's Moose Lake Hospital.

They will be outside the hospital on Tuesday,  June 28th from noon to 5 p.m. The nurses say they are pursuing a contract with Essentia Health, claiming they did not recognize existing contracts when they purchased the hospital two years ago.

“For decades, nurses at Moose Lake were able to win fair contracts which allowed us to stay on the job, providing the high-quality care our community deserves,” said Sarah Lambert, RN at Essentia—Moose Lake. “But when Essentia bought our hospital two years ago, executives threw out our contract and brought us back to square one, pushing nurses away from the jobs we love. It is time for Essentia to approve a fair contract which will keep local, experienced nurses at the bedside here in Moose Lake.”

The Minnesota Nurses Association says nurses in Moose Lake have missed out on bonuses, retirement contributions, and sick leave as negotiations continue.