Workers Rally Against Short Staffing and Low Wages at Essentia

Well over a hundred healthcare workers and community allies turned out on June 26 for a rally against short staffing and low wages at Essentia Health.  The protest was called by United Steelworkers Local 9460, which is engaged in tough contract negotiations with Essentia.

While many essential workers received hazard pay, and other substantive measures of support, area healthcare workers were excluded from this.  In fact, despite making more money during the pandemic than before, Essentia Health chose to use the crisis as an opportunity to downsize, and laid off hundreds of workers, including janitors, food service and patient care workers – who are very much needed in a pandemic.  As a result the work loads have gone up dramatically, leaving many workers stressed and near the breaking point.  And to add insult to injury, the company is now only offering wage increases of barely more than 1%, far less than the annual increase in the cost of health insurance, let alone inflation.

The large turnout on June 26 demonstrated the anger and frustration of healthcare workers.  However, the enormously positive response of the public showed that this community sees through the slick propaganda that Essentia puts out about itself.  The majority of passing motorists enthusiastically honked their support for the workers.  This outpouring support for the workers, comes fresh on the heels of several communities and unions in western Minnesota standing up against a proposed Essentia takeover of a number of clinics there.  It’s our contention that across the state, Essentia is tarnishing it own reputation by the way it treats its workers and the communities they are based in.

The location of the protest was the corner of Haines Road and Miller Trunk Hwy, right on the border of Duluth and Hermantown.  The reason for choosing this location was that it’s the main entryway for the Duluth Airport, which was hosting the Duluth Air Show at the same time.  Essentia Health was one of the two primary sponsors of the Air Show.  While the union made it clear they had no intentions of disrupting the airshow, they pointed out how it is an example of Essentia’s misplaced priorities.  To drive that point home the theme of the rally, and message on many of the protest signs was “Essentia: Invest in Your Workers!”

We couldn’t agree more!  We salute the workers and community members turned out on June 26.  The union promises that there will be additional actions to pressure Essentia to the right thing.  We’ll be sure to promote and cover those actions when they happen.