12,000 Minnesota nurses plan 1-day walkout

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - More than 12,000 Minneapolis-area nurses are planning to hit picket lines in a dispute over staffing levels and pension benefits.

The nurses have authorized a one-day strike Thursday on 14 hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The hospitals say they've hired enough well-qualified replacement nurses to operate safely during the strike.

Health care costs have been skyrocketing and hospitals are trying to trim their budgets. Nurse pay and benefits are among their largest expenses.

A new national union is gaining popularity for its more assertive stance for nurses' interests. Hospitals argue the Minnesota nurses have resisted compromise because National Nurses United wants a headline-grabbing strike to help with recruiting.

Union officials say that's not true.