Nurses Picket Maple Grove Hospital Over Contract
Nurses picketed North Memorial Health – Maple Grove Hospital on March 19, saying they are unhappy with the status of their contract negotiations.
According to a spokesperson for the Minnesota Nurses Association, Maple Grove Hospital nurses unionized in January 2025.
Contract negotiations have ongoing ever since.
As a result, about 600 nurses represented by the union are without a contract.
“Negotiations have been going very slow with really a lack of response for any better terms from administration,” said TJ Zyskowski, a labor and deliver nurse who has worked at Maple Grove Hospital for seven years. “It’s really disheartening to see that.”
Nurses picketed North Memorial Maple Grove Hospital on March 19, saying they are unhappy with the status of their contract negotiations.
Without a contract, it’s been hard to retain nurses, Zyskowski said.
“It’s super important for the longevity of nurses to stay at the bedside, and super important that our patients have that continuity,” she said. “They come to have a baby, and then the next time they come to have a baby, the same staff is there. That’s reassuring in a lot of situations to see our patients on repeat.”
Maple Grove Hospital nurses want higher wages, better benefits, better staffing ratios, and parity with workers at North Memorial’s Robbinsdale Hospital, according to Zyskowski.
“We are not getting the same treatment that they are as far as pensions and health care benefits and pay,” Zyskowski said. “We are a big part of this community and we want equal, at least equal to what Robbinsdale is getting.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for North Memorial Health sent the following statement to CCX News:
“We are aware of informational picketing taking place today by members of the Minnesota Nurses Association outside Maple Grove Hospital. Hospital operations remain fully open and uninterrupted.
We respect our nurses’ right to participate in informational picketing. At the same time, our focus remains on bargaining in good faith to reach a contract agreement that supports our nurses, ensures high-quality care for our patients and community, and reflects the financial realities facing our health system.
Patient care and safety continue to be our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining a safe, welcoming environment for everyone who comes to Maple Grove Hospital.”
Maple Grove Hospital nurses want higher wages, better benefits, better staffing ratios, and parity with workers at North Memorial’s Robbinsdale Hospital, according to a union spokesperson.
