ROCHESTER, Minn. – A labor union representing 1,600 Mayo Clinic employees voted to sidestep a strike they earlier authorized and instead put their contract proposals into arbitration. Both Mayo and the union would be bound by whatever settlement emerges in the external arbitration process. The workers are at Mayo’s Saint Marys hospital. Their contract expired in April. The latest Mayo contract proposal hadn’t gone over well. The union said its members voted 99% to strike. A second SEIU unit representing 600 employees at Mayo’s Methodist hospital, already has accepted a new contract with a 6% pay increase.
How rbitration works
A a panel of three arbitrators will consider the Mayo and union contract proposals. This will include a review of past practices and also internal and external factors relating to the proposals. This will include whether Mayo has then financial ability to afford the union’s proposal. The arbitration panel’s decision becomes binding on both parties.
Verbatim
Kirsten Schultz, of the Service Employees International Union bargaining team: “We are tired of the proposals from Mayo that feel disrespectful to the critical work we do every day, which is why we made clear these offers are not enough with this vote. Instead of continuing down this path that seems to be leading nowhere, we’ve decided to use the most powerful tool we currently have, which is sending this to arbitration.”
Verbatim
Statement from Mayo: “We have been negotiating in good faith. Our negotiating sessions with SEIU have been productive, and we have reached tentative agreement on several topics. While we have told the SEIU bargaining team that there is room for negotiating the remaining issues including wages to reach a mutually beneficial agreement, they have decided to stop bargaining and pursue arbitration.”