After an unproductive strike, we appreciate the opportunity to be back at the negotiating table with the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA). We have negotiated in good faith with the union over the last six months, and it is time to narrow the scope of proposals. Yet the union continues to have more than 100 open items and is still bringing new proposals to the table. This wide-ranging approach only serves to slow progress.
We know wages are an important issue to reach a settlement. MNA is still seeking a wage increase of more than 30%, as well as dozens of additional economic proposals that are costly. As a non-profit health care system facing significant financial losses, this is unreasonable and unsustainable. We believe our nurses deserve to be recognized and have offered an additional across-the-board wage increase of 12% over the three years of the contract, in addition to their existing step increases in pay and comprehensive benefits package. This offer will keep our nurses among the highest compensated in the country, a fact that we are proud of.
Our nurses provide an informed perspective, and their expertise is, and always has been, an integral part of our staffing and operations decisions. However, what they continue to ask for with their staffing proposals is veto power over staffing decisions. That is incompatible with our ability to manage the overall complex operations of hospitals and deliver care to our patients and communities. We must maintain the right to make the final decisions on staffing.
The proposal we outlined, which includes a competitive wage proposal, as well as offers on pandemic and emergency response and diversity, equity, and inclusion is a reasonable path to settlement. We first requested the help of a neutral federal mediator in May. Our next negotiation session with the union is on Oct. 6. We ask them to finally agree to engage a mediator so that we can bring these negotiations to a successful close in a timely manner.
Allina Health is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of illness and enhancing the greater health of individuals, families and communities throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A nonprofit health care system, Allina Health cares for patients from beginning to end-of-life through its 90+ clinics, 12 hospital campuses, 14 retail pharmacies, and many specialty care centers and specialty medical services, home care, and emergency medical transportation services. Learn more at allinahealth.org and join us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.