Maple Grove Hospital Nurses to Vote On Authorizing Strike

About 600 registered nurses from North Memorial Health – Maple Grove Hospital will vote on whether to authorize an unfair labor practice strike this Monday. 

Last year, the nurses voted to become part of the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA), and after 29 bargaining sessions, they have yet to come to terms on their first contract with leadership from North Memorial Health.  

Alexie Rehwaldt, a registered nurse at Maple Grove Hospital, emphasized that while the move is a serious escalation, a “yes” vote would not mean an immediate work stoppage.

“This doesn’t mean that we are going on strike. In fact, I know that most of us would like to avoid that,” Rehwaldt explained. “This just gives our negotiating team the ability to call for a strike if we feel that it’s necessary.”

Key Issues at the Table

The nurses are seeking a contract that centers on three core pillars:

• Safe Staffing Ratios: Establishing clear limits to ensure high-quality patient care.
• Equitable Benefits: Bridging the gap in insurance and pensions between Maple Grove and other metro area hospitals, specifically its sister facility in Robbinsdale.
• Protections in case of a sale or merger: North Memorial Health announced plans to merge with South Dakota-based Sanford Health. The MNA stated it was “deeply concerned” by the announcement.

Alexie Rehwaldt is a registered nurse at North Memorial Health’s Maple Grove Hospital.

Rehwaldt, who transitioned to Maple Grove after a decade of working as a nurse in Robbinsdale, noted that the disparity in benefits is a major hurdle.

“When you’re looking at having safe staffing and your best patient care, you want experienced nurses to come to the bedside and to stay there,” she said. “And that’s one of the things we’re fighting for today, is to create an environment that attracts experienced nurses and retains them as well.”

Financial Questions and Corporate Changes

The push for a fair contract is happening against a backdrop of significant corporate shifts.

On May 8, North Memorial Health and Sanford Health announced they have signed an agreement to merge into a single nonprofit system.

While leadership has cited rising costs and financial pressures as a driver for the merger, union representatives highlight that Maple Grove Hospital generated approximately $34 million in revenue for 2025.

“It sounds like there are financial resources there,” Rehwaldt said. “We’re hoping that they can invest in their employees that are helping to fuel the organization.”

If the nurses vote “yes” to authorize a strike, the negotiating team will return to the table with newfound leverage.

For nurses like Rehwaldt, the goal remains a settled agreement rather than forming a picket line with her colleagues.

“We want to settle at the bargaining table. We want a fair first contract,” she said. “That is what we want.”

North Memorial Health Responds

In response to the voting action, North Memorial Health released a statement affirming their participation in the ongoing talks.

“We are aware that Maple Grove Hospital nurses plan to vote on whether to authorize a strike,” the organization stated. “We remain engaged with the nurses’ union in good-faith negotiations. We are committed to reaching an agreement that supports the organization’s long-term financial stability, enables the continued high standard of care we deliver to patients, and ensures a positive working environment for our nurses and teams.”

Maple Grove | Robbinsdale