MINNEAPOLIS — Allina Health and the union that represents thousands of striking nurses at five hospitals in the Twin Cities metro plan to continue negotiations.

The two sides ended discussions Wednesday night with a pledge to return to the bargaining table Thursday morning.

A federal mediator called both sides back to the bargaining table Tuesday for the first time since the walkout began Labor Day.

in a dispute over health insurance, workplace safety and staffing levels.

Both sides offered no details on whether the health system and the Minnesota Nurses Association had made any progress toward resolving the dispute.

The affected hospitals are Abbott Northwestern and the Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis, United in St. Paul, Unity in Fridley and Mercy in Coon Rapids.