Minnesota nurses voting again on possible strike

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Thousands of Minnesota nurses are voting Monday on whether to give their union the authority to call another strike on 14 hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

The polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 8:30 p.m. at locations in Brooklyn Park and St. Paul. The union expects to announce the results Monday night.

About 12,000 nurses went on a one-day strike on June 10, saying they wanted increased staffing in the hospitals and didn't want cuts to their pension.

Unlike that strike, the nurses on Monday are voting on a longer and potentially open-ended walkout.

A spokeswoman for the hospitals says the union's staffing proposals are unnecessary and very expensive, but the hospitals are willing to negotiate under certain conditions.

No new talks are scheduled.

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Online:

Minnesota Nurses Association: http://mnnurses.org/

Twin Cities Hospitals: http://www.twincitieshospitals.com/

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