15,000 Minnesota nurses will strike for three days at 15 hospitals in the Twin Cities and Duluth area in what the union calls the largest private sector nurses strike in U-S history. Minnesota Nurses Association President Mary Turner today said it’s about putting “patients before profits” and retaining staff. Turner says “we have done everything. All of our proposals are designed to keep nurses at the bedside and I cannot reiterate enough the public health crisis is on its way here if 50% of our nurses leave the bedside. Katie Donner is a nurse at St. John’s Hospital and said today “our patients deserve better, our families deserve better, our communities deserve better, we deserve better– we will see you on the picket line.” The strike will begin at 7am September 12th and end on 7am September 15th, though the dates are *not* irrevocable. Union leaders have the option of pushing it back or calling off a strike if there’s progress in contract talks. The strike would impact Essentia and Saint Luke’s in Duluth, and Allina, HealthPartners, North Memorial, M Health Fairview and Children’s in the Twin Cities.