No strike at 8 Twin Cities hospitals

Support staff at eight Twin Cities hospitals may have avoided a strike.

The Service Employees International Union said Wednesday it had reached a tentative contract agreement with negotiators for eight Twin Cities hospitals.

In a released statement, the SEIU said its negotiators did not get everything they wanted, but they successfully fought cuts the union said would have driven the lowest-paid workers into poverty.

The union represents 3,500 cafeteria workers, nursing assistants and other support staff. Their previous contract expired in February.

On Monday and Tuesday the union members voted to authorize a strike if SEIU leaders could not reach a deal with management.

The hospitals involved in the negotiations were Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, Fairview Riverside Hospital in Minneapolis, Children's Hospitals in Minneapolis and St. Paul, HealthEast Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul, HealthEast St. John's Hospital in Maplewood, North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale, and Park Nicollet/Methodist Hospital in St. Louis Park.