STILLWATER, MINN – Healthcare workers at HealthPartners Stillwater Medical Group (SMG) who are members of SEIU Healthcare MN & IA voted overwhelmingly to authorize their bargaining committee to have the power to call an open-ended Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike, with 84% support. Voting happened over multiple days last week in person and online and came after the Union filed new charges against the employer for engaging in an Unfair Labor Practice when the parties briefly returned to the bargaining table on the last day of the earlier strike.

While this allows the group to call for a ULP strike if needed, there is no current date set to begin an open-ended ULP strike. The union would have to give a 10-day notice to the employer before starting the strike. The parties recently agreed to resume contract negotiations this Wednesday, August 6th, and the union bargaining team is hopeful that those negotiations will result in a fair contract.

Melissa Sirek, a CMA at HealthPartners SMG and member of the bargaining team, spoke out after the vote about her readiness to reach a fair deal for workers, patients and the community:

“We are so close to a deal. Our members have come so far, and we don't want to be taken advantage of anymore. Everyone is standing united, ready to fight for what we deserve. We just cannot give up when we’re this close. I sincerely hope that we can reach an agreement that is fair to everyone when we get back to the bargaining table on Wednesday.”

This strike authorization follows the group’s powerful 4-day ULP strike in July, which saw strong support from workers, community and politicians like Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, AG Keith Ellison and more.

The two sides have met 8 times since May, but remain apart on key issues like wages and longevity bonuses for their longtime employees.

The group brings together over 80 workers who do jobs such as Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN), Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) and other service-unit healthcare positions in the Family Medicine, OB/GYN, Pediatrics and Specialties departments at the clinic.

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SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa unites over 50,000 healthcare and long-term care workers in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and home care throughout Minnesota and Iowa.