M Health Fairview, mental health workers reach tentative deal

MINNEAPOLIS — Union leaders and employer M Health Fairview have agreed on a tentative contract for workers after a 12-hour bargaining session. 

The deal was announced Monday night. The full details have not been released to non-SEIU members as of Tuesday morning, but some of the highlights of the one-and-a-half-year contract include: 

• Immediate wage increases averaging 6% with an additional 2.75% increase in March for all workers, totaling 8.75% for some workers in the next six months
• A transparent and predictable wage scale for the first time
• Establishes increased paid time off
• Initial grievance procedures to address staffing concerns

“Because of the solidarity of our bargaining team and all of our co-workers, including the strike in May and our recent strike vote, Fairview offered a higher single-year raise than they have in years,” Bill Bader, a psychology associate at M Health Fairview said in a statement from SEIU. “The bargaining team unanimously supports this contract and asks all of the bargaining members to vote “yes” to ratify this contract. We truly believe that this is the best deal and are proud to have a tentative agreement on our first contract.”

This tentative agreement will now head to a vote of union members, with their bargaining team recommending a “yes” vote, according to SEIU. 

M Health Fairview has not released a statement about the contract as of Tuesday morning. 

According to SEIU, these 350 workers voted to join the union in September 2021, and have been in contract negotiations since January. 

Mental health workers at Allina Health are currently on day two of a three-day strike, asking for higher wages, better benefits and more safety on the job. 

RELATED: Allina mental health workers return to the picket line for 3-day strike

Watch the latest coverage from the KARE11 Sunrise in our YouTube playlist:

MORE NEWS: Mothers team up to fight mental health stigma