Nurses in the twin cities were victims of "economic warfare" according to the National Labor Relations Board. Upholding a 2002 ruling, the NLRB says that 23 nurses should be rewarded lost wages after they were refused employment while on strike against Fairview Health Services. The Minnesota Nurses Association brought the case in 2001 after it learned that the nurses were turned down for jobs at hospitals. The hospitals admitted refusing to hire the nurses, saying that because they negotiate the nurses' contracts jointly they could legally apply economic pressure. The hospitals are considering a second appeal to the most recent decision.