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Nurses at five Allina Health hospitals in Minnesota have approved a contract to return to work. A majority of rank-and-file members of the Minnesota Nurses Association on Thursday voted to ratify the tentative agreement reached earlier in the week. Both the union and Allina Health say the nurses will return to work Sunday morning. (10/13)

Nurses approved a contract Thursday to return to work at five Allina Health hospitals in the Twin Cities, concluding a contentious, nine-month negotiation in which they voted down four prior contract proposals and went on two strikes for a combined 44 days. While similar to a contract offer the nurses rejected Oct. 3, the latest offer provided enough new financial incentives and guarantees about health benefits to earn nurses’ support — though not without some hand-wringing. (Olson, 10/14)

Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association voted Thursday to approve the latest proposed contract with Allina Health. Approval of the contract — unanimously supported by union leaders — puts an end to an open-ended strike at five Twin Cities hospitals that began on Labor Day. The union announced the approval late Thursday night after polls closed at 8:30 p.m. and votes were tallied. (Cooney, 10/13)