Essentia Health-Deer River Hospital Workers Discuss Why They’re Striking

About 70 hospital workers from Essentia Health in Deer River gathered on 10th Avenue and Division Street on Monday to begin their 5-day Unfair Labor Practices strike. Representatives from the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) spoke with officials at Essentia on Wednesday to see if they could come to an agreement before the conclusion of the strike this Friday.

Essentia and hospital workers have been bargaining since August of this year, yet still remain distant on big issues like wages, the demand for additional PTO, and ensuring that hospital workers get the same holiday pay that nursing home workers will now get as part of recent changes made by the Nursing Home Workforce Standards Board.

“The last proposal that came across the table from the management team was actually a pay cut,” stated SEIU Internal Organizer Kayla Schwankl.

A press release from Essentia Health states that when the union filed its strike notice, the union was initially asking for a 55% wage increase over 3 years. The first drafted plans consisted of a 20% increase in wages for the hospital staff for the first two years, and a 15% increase in the third. Essentia Health says that proposal was unrealistic and unsustainable given the immense challenges confronting rural health care.

“We really want to have an agreement that shows our colleagues how much we value the work and the important care that they provide in the community, but also preserves access to that care for our community,” stated Kim Kaiser, Essentia Health spokesperson. “We all know that rural care is challenged these days, so we need to work with the SEIU to find an agreement that addresses some of those concerns facing rural health care that’s sustainable for that care, and we look forward to continuing to do that during negotiations.”

Hospital workers have been picketing from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day this week because they believe they are understaffed, overworked, and underpaid.

“Getting people here to be able to go down the street and afford gas and afford groceries, I mean, it’s getting ridiculous when we have people here that are making less than $16 an hour,” added Schwankl.

“You can go work at a gas station or a fast food restaurant and make more money, and they offer just as good as benefits,” said Essentia Radiology Department employee Becky Shereck.

“I’ve been working at Essentia for about 13-and-a-half years; I love my team and I love my residents, but the disrespect from management has been overwhelming this year, and if we don’t stand up and say something now, nothing will be done and they’ll just keep disrespecting us,” said Kristi Griffen, a cook for Essentia Health in Deer River.

Essentia Health officials held another bargaining session with SEIU members earlier today, but no update is available at this time. If officials cannot come to an agreement, the strike will continue until 7 a.m. on Saturday, November 9th.

SEIU officials have told Lakeland News that they will file for another strike for the future until an agreement is met.