Minn. nurses approve second strike at 14 hospitals

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Thousands of Minnesota nurses have voted to authorize another strike on 14 hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area.

The Minnesota Nurses Association says 84 percent of nurses voted Monday to authorize an open-ended strike. It was not immediately clear when the strike would begin. The nurses must give the hospitals a minimum of 10 days' notice but could strike anytime after that.

About 12,000 nurses went on a one-day strike on June 10, to demand an increase in hospital staffing and no pension cuts.

A spokeswoman for the hospitals says the union's staffing proposals are unnecessary and very expensive, but the hospitals are willing to negotiate under certain conditions.

No new talks are scheduled.

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Online:

Minnesota Nurses Association: http://mnnurses.org/

Twin Cities Hospitals: http://www.twincitieshospitals.com/