BRAINERD — Essentia Health announced Wednesday, Nov. 12, it reached a tentative agreement with the Minnesota Nurses Association on a three-year contract covering nearly 300 nurses at St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Brainerd.

The Minnesota Nurses Association and union bargaining committee have given their full recommendation and will hold a ratification vote in the coming days. Once ratified, the contract will be effective through Oct. 31, 2028.

Essentia and the nurses association started negotiations Sept. 23 and reached the agreement after just eight bargaining sessions.

“We are pleased to reach a deal that is good for our talented nursing colleagues, for Essentia Health and — most importantly — for the patients we’re honored to serve,” said Rhonda Kazik, chief nurse executive at Essent

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