Worthington MNA Negotiations Update – May 6, 2026
Sanford and the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) met again on May 6 for our fourth negotiating session. Throughout the day, the parties continued discussions and exchanged package proposals. The Company came to the session prepared to work toward settlement and ultimately presented a time-sensitive proposal that we believed represented a very competitive package for Worthington nurses. However, the Union representative repeatedly stated there was no intention of settling in Worthington before a settlement is reached in Bemidji.
Sanford Economic Proposal
At the end of the session, in an effort to secure an agreement, Sanford presented a highly competitive comprehensive economic package which included:
Rates / Premiums
- A four-year contract with wage increases of:
- Two additional longevity steps at 25 and 30 years
- Increase critical needs pay to $15/hr
- Addition of unscheduled call pay of $10/hr
- Foreign language premium of $.50/hr
- Certification reimbursement of up to $800 and paid training opportunities
Insurance / Benefits
- Modification to annual vacation accrual — changing from 2,080-hour accrual thresholds to annual accruals, benefiting nurses working less than a 1.0 FTE
- 5% caps on employee insurance premium increases
The proposal represented substantial movement by the Company and reflected the realities of today’s healthcare environment while still making meaningful investments in Worthington nurses.
Sanford also made clear during bargaining that proposals of this magnitude must remain financially sustainable and that prolonged delays are unlikely to improve the long-term economics available at the table.
The proposal presented on May 6 was intended to move the parties toward settlement. Future proposals may differ depending on the timing and direction of negotiations.
Discussion Regarding Contract Length
Sanford proposed a four-year agreement with a 4.5% increase in the fourth year. Sanford explained that a longer agreement would:
- Provide nurses with a higher increase today than we would expect healthcare systems to settle for in three years considering the reimbursement uncertainty and rising healthcare costs continuing and likely worsening.
- Allow the organization to financially plan and budget for future increases during a period of continued financial uncertainty.
- Separate Worthington’s bargaining cycle from other facilities in an effort to reduce the unnecessary delays, cancellations, scheduling difficulties, and prolonged bargaining gaps which we have seen from the union during the past two negotiation cycles.
Is the Company Proposing Concessions?
Throughout bargaining Sanford has agreed to many Union proposals and has withdrawn or modified all but one of its own operational proposals in an effort to narrow issues and move negotiations forward.
At this point, the primary remaining operational proposal involves changing the Christmas and New Year’s holiday designation from the current 32-hour holiday period to the standard 24-hour holiday period used for other holidays. Scheduling practices would otherwise remain unchanged.
Sanford has continued to focus discussions on reaching agreement and reducing the number of open issues at the table.
Foreign Language Premium Proposal
Earlier in negotiations, the Union proposed creating a foreign language premium for employees providing interpretation services. During the May 6 session, however, the Union removed that proposal from its package and stated it was not a priority.
Sanford disagrees. We believe employees who use valuable bilingual skills to support communication and care for patients and families deserve to be compensated for those skills. Worthington serves a diverse patient population, and bilingual nurses play an important role in improving patient experience, understanding, and access to care for underserved populations within our community. As a result, Sanford continued to include a foreign language premium in its proposal package.
Financial Sustainability
Across the country, hospitals are closing or reducing services because financial pressures have outpaced sustainability. Sanford’s focus is to avoid that outcome by making thoughtful decisions that allow care to remain local, accessible, and reliable for years to come.
Some recent reports on these challenges include:
Sanford emphasized throughout negotiations that proposals must remain sustainable to ensure long-term access to healthcare services in Worthington and surrounding communities.
Bemidji Linkage Continues to Delay Progress
During the session, the Union representative again stated that Worthington negotiations are tied to Bemidji negotiations and indicated there was no intention of settling in Worthington before Bemidji settles.
Sanford reiterated multiple times that:
- Worthington and Bemidji are completely separate negotiations
- The facilities have different leadership teams, operational needs, staffing models, budgets, and market conditions
- The proposals being discussed at each location are significantly different
Nearly a month has passed since the last session in Bemidji where the parties agreed to mediation. The company offered multiple dates to the mediator immediately. The parties are still awaiting a response regarding the union's availability.
The mediator indicated it will likely take multiple mediation sessions to fully understand the parties’ positions and from there we'll work toward a settlement. With summer vacations and schedules, finding multiple dates to continue discussions is already proving to be complicated.
Sanford expressed concern that continued delays tied to another facility’s negotiations make it more difficult to make timely progress on issues specific to Worthington nurses and also reiterated that back pay is a negotiable item. Prolonged delays in reaching agreement can impact discussions regarding retroactivity.
Sanford also made clear that delaying negotiations or extending bargaining timelines will not change the long-term financial realities facing healthcare organizations or result in unsustainable settlement terms.
Sanford’s focus remains on reaching practical, sustainable agreements tailored to the individual needs of each facility rather than delaying settlement in one location based on negotiations occurring elsewhere.
Looking Ahead
The Union declined the Company’s May 6th proposal and indicated another session could potentially occur after a settlement is reached in Bemidji.
However, after the session the union expressed interest in meeting before Bemidji settles and offered some dates in June. The company agreed to one of those dates, June 2nd, but the union is no longer available on that date, so we are working to find an alternative. As mentioned, scheduling is difficult, particularly with summer vacations, a schedule already being out and existing bargaining obligations at multiple locations.
Sanford remains committed to continuing discussions and working toward an agreement that:
- Recognizes the important work of Worthington nurses
- Supports competitive compensation and benefits
- Maintains long-term sustainability for healthcare services in the Worthington community
We look forward to meeting with the union again soon to hopefully wrap up negotiations.
