Advanced Practice Providers with Essentia intend to strike

DULUTH, Minn. (Northern News Now) - Advanced Practice Providers (APP) at Essentia Health have filed a ten-day notice with the hospital, stating their intention to strike.

Their strike is set to take effect July 10, just two days after nurses at Essentia and Aspirus St. Luke’s are planning to begin their strike.

APPs say Essentia is committing unfair labor practices by not negotiating with them.

“Our input needs to be respected and included in providing care,” said Essentia APP Sara McCumber.

The strike will impact about 400 APPs at several facilities around the region.

Essentia says 44% of all patient encounters are with APPs and says 88% of all urgent care encounters are with an APP.

In late 2023, the MNA filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking to have APPs be represented by the MNA.

In 2024, a regional director with the NLRB approved the petition.

Two weeks later, Essentia requested a review of that decision in Washington, D.C., but that review has not yet occurred.

McCumber says not having APP input in MNA discussions is creating significant morale issues, leading to Monday’s declaration to strike.

“When our input, the direct care providers, is not included in the workplace, APPs leave, communities become burned out and are unable to provide the care to our patients,” said McCumber.

Essentia Health responded to the APP’s decision to strike with a statement saying in part that the clinic staff has historically been separated from hospital staff.

“Keeping the groups separate helps minimize risk to patient care in the event of a strike and subsequent work stoppage,” said Essentia. “The notice from the MNA comes while Essentia is exercising its legal right to a review by the NLRB in Washington, D.C.”

President of the MNA, Chris Rubesch, feels the decision from the regional NLRB is legally binding amid Essentia’s appeal.

“They seem to be just waiting until they get an answer that they like; they didn’t get that answer from their employees, they didn’t get that answer from the regional NLRB, so now they’re just playing a waiting game,” said Rubesch.

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