Minnesota nursing homes use legal but controversial tactics to block unions, a Columbia study finds.

A Columbia University report, backed by SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, reveals that Minnesota’s nursing homes—especially those dependent on Medicaid and Medicare—frequently use union avoidance tactics like anti-union meetings, retaliatory firings, and pay increases tied to anti-union petitions. Based on interviews and a survey of nearly 2,000 certified nursing assistants, the study found these legally ambiguous practices create fear and hinder organizing, despite their legality under current labor law. Advocates urge better pay, staffing, and transparency in public funding use, while industry groups dispute the report’s methods but acknowledge reimbursement challenges.