Nurses planning 1-week strike at 5 Twin Cities hospitals

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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Union leaders representing about 5,000 nurses in the Twin Cities say nurses at five hospitals plan to go on a one-week strike after rejecting the latest contract offer from Allina Health. The Minnesota Nurses Association gave notice Wednesday that the strike involving nurses at Abbott Northwestern, Phillips Eye Institute, United, Mercy and Unity hospitals is set to begin June 19. The announcement comes after a majority of nurses rejected the contract Monday that many say shifts too much of the company's health care costs to the nurses. Allina said Wednesday that it believes there's still time to avoid a strike but that its metro-area hospitals will remain open if one does happen. The walkout would be the first in the Twin Cities since a one-day strike in 2010.