Thousands of Minnesota nurses launch 3-day strike over pay

Mary Turner, president of the Minnesota Nurses Association, left, joins nurses striking Monday, Sept. 12, 2022 outside North Memorial Health Hospital in Robbinsdale, Minn. Nurses launched a three-day strike over issues of pay and what they say is understaffing that has been worsened by the strains of the coronavirus pandemic. (David Joles/Star Tribune via AP)

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Thousands of nurses in Minnesota launched a three-day strike Monday, pressing for salary increases they say will help improve patient care by resolving understaffing stresses that have worsened in the coronavirus pandemic. Some 15,000 nurses at seven health care systems in the Minneapolis and Duluth areas walked out, a number the union says makes it the largest strike ever by private-sector nurses. The affected hospitals said they have recruited temporary nurses and expected to maintain most services. Nurses are seeking pay raises of more than 30% over three years, while hospitals have offered 10% to 12%. The hospital systems say the nurses’ demands are unrealistic.