MINNEAPOLIS — “Health care is a human right!” and “Doctors on the outside? Trouble on the inside,” were chanted by hundreds of members of the Doctors Council, an affiliate of the Service Employees International Union, during a one-day strike against Allina Health in the Twin Cities area Nov. 5.
Picket lines were set up in front of the Allina Health clinics in West Saint Paul and Coon Rapids, as well as near the Allina Health corporate headquarters here.
After 20 months of negotiations, Allina has refused to agree to a first contract with the union, whose members include doctors, nurse practitioners and physicians assistants.
Bosses at the health care giant have closed down five clinics in the area and began contracting out lab work, which had been processed locally. These moves have increased the patient load in the remaining clinics and delayed lab results needed for doctors to prescribe treatment.
One of the union’s demands is for doctors to receive four hours’ pay per week for work they perform at home after clinics close. They’re now expected to work after hours without pay on paperwork and to answer patient emails.
Matt Hoffman, a doctor and spokesman for the protest, told the Militant union members from across the Twin Cities area joined the action. So did many of their patients
Hoffman said Allina representatives told union negotiators their priorities are to boost profits. But the doctors’ priorities are providing the care needed to keep patients out of emergency rooms and to prolong their lives.