CHI St. Alexius Health Bismarck Nurses with the Minnesota Nurses Association to picket June 25

CHI St. Alexius Health Nurses in Bismarck, who are affiliated with the Minnesota Nurses Association, will be picketing June 25 to show their commitment to making St. Alexius the safest, best hospital for patients and nurses in North Dakota, according to the North Dakota United Facebook page.

CHI nurses have had 20 bargaining sessions since August of 2019 and they say they still have not received any guarantees about solutions to short staffing, recruitment and retention to assure Bismarck patients get the care they need.

The nurses are inviting community members to stand with them from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. on sidewalks outside of CHI St. Alexius Hospital on the corner of the Ninth and Broadway.

"This is actually our first picket. It's kind of our next step in just bringing our fight, just outside the hospital walls a little bit. Everything we're doing really is about our patients and our community and being able to serve them better," said Angie Grosz, RN, CHI St. Alexius Health.

In response to the picketing, CHI officials said the nurses participating in the informational picket are valued and respected members of the health care team.

CHI believes the best place to resolve differences and achieve an agreement is at the bargaining table.

CHI said hospital leaders will continue to negotiate in good faith in the hopes of reaching a fair and equitable agreement with the union.

Officials of the hospital said they apologize to patients and staff for any inconvenience this may cause, and the hospital will remain open and all services will remain available.

All nurses will still work that day as they said this in an opportunity for them to join with leaders in the community, friends and family to ensure CHI St. Alexius can be the best it can be.

CHI nurses are asking participants to wear masks and stay socially distant.