AFSCME Council 5 members at Minnesota’s largest public hospital celebrated a major victory recently.
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners voted 6-1 last month to dissolve the unaccountable Health and Human Services (HHS) Board, which oversees Hennepin Healthcare. The commissioners are also taking over the Hennepin County Medical Center, Minnesota’s largest public hospital.
This decision comes after years of organizing and advocacy by members of AFSCME Locals 977 and 2474. They worked hard alongside members of the Minnesota Nurses Association and the Hennepin County Association of Paramedics and EMTs. Together, workers pushed for a governance structure that’s transparent, accountable, and responsive to the needs of patients, front-line caregivers, and the community.
The HHS board had long been criticized for operating without meaningful input from those on the front lines and for failing to address the hospital’s $35 million deficit caused by poor management decisions. Dissolving the board is a step toward restoring trust and ensuring decisions are made with the involvement of workers and the community.
“For years, our members have been calling for accountability and transparency at Hennepin Healthcare. Dissolving the HHS board is a major step toward ensuring decisions are made with the voices of front-line workers and patients at the center,” said Sara Franck, president of AFSCME Local 2474. “This is about restoring trust and making sure our public hospital truly serves the community. I’m proud of the persistence and unity of our members who refused to be ignored.”
Kitsune Tara, president of AFSCME Local 977, said the HHS board’s demise shows the difference workers can make when they stand together and speak as one for what’s right.
“This victory shows the power of solidarity. When nurses, clerical workers, paramedics, EMTs, and all AFSCME members and labor union allies joined together, we made it clear that our voices matter and we are proving our solidarity,” Tara said.
Council 5 Executive Director Bart Andersen testified before the board of county commissioners. He reinforced what workers have been saying for years: respect for workers, care for patients, equity, and transparency must be at the center of decision-making.
“This victory is proof of what happens when working people join together and refuse to be ignored,” Andersen said. “Our members fought for a health care system that values the voices of those who provide care and the people they serve, and now that fight paid off.”
AFSCME members pledge to continue the fight for a more responsive, transparent, and worker- and patient-focused Hennepin Healthcare system, one that delivers results, advances equity, and ensures quality care for all.