Minneapolis, MN – After five days on strike at the University of Minnesota, late on the night of Friday, September 12, Teamsters at the U of MN announced that they had a new offer from the university which met all of their major demands. As a result, they ended their strike in the early hours of Saturday morning.

According to an advisory from Teamsters Local 320, which represents the university workers, the new contract offer includes a 3.5% raise in the first year, another 3.5% raise in the second year, and 3% in the third, for 10% over three years. The university’s “last best and final” offer had included only one set raise of 2% over the life of the contract.

Additionally, a major issue for the Teamsters was an expiration date for the contract, which lands in summer, whereas the U was stuck on only settling with an expiration in December. This matters because it affects timing of future contract fights and timing of actions or strikes in the future.

This settlement is a huge win for the Teamsters at the university, and a major blow for university management.

Throughout the strike, the Teamsters’ picket lines only grew stronger, and the community only showed up more and more in support of the strike. In addition to winning widespread public support, they also made it impossible for the university to run effectively.

The Teamsters do facilities, dining work and more at the university and it was clear from overflowing garbage cans seen all over campus that things were not running smoothly. There were reports on picket lines and from students as well as other unions that the university was desperately trying to get anyone they could find to work as scabs during the strike, including asking students to work in their own dining halls to keep themselves fed.

The university also attempted to intimidate strikers by ordering police to attack picket lines.

Late in the strike, musicians Willy Nelson, Margo Price, Neil Young and other headliners – who were supposed to perform at the 40th Annual Farm Aid concert being held on September 20 at the university’s stadium – wrote a public letter informing the university and public that they would not cross the picket line and perform if the strike was still ongoing. This resulted in the Farm Aid organization stating that they would cancel or move the show if that happened. This resulted in increased pressure on the University to settle.

The support that Teamsters won from the performers and Farm Aid only demonstrates further the level of public support the Teamsters were able to garner with their energetic and militant strike, and the impact of stopping trucks coming in to set up for the concert.

Because the strike was strong and visible, and because the rank-and-file workers won both the battle for the public narrative, and the battle to damage the university’s ability to function, the university quickly had no choice but to cave on only the fifth day of the strike and meet the Teamsters’ demands.

This is a major victory for the Teamsters at the University of Minnesota.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Labor #Teamsters #IBT320 #Feature

Minneapolis, MN – On Friday September 12, at 5:30 p.m., Teamsters who work at the University of Minnesota held a large rally and mega march around campus demanding higher pay and for a contract expiration date during summer. 1400 Teamsters at University of Minnesota campuses began striking this week.

Between 5 p.m. and 5:30, a large crowd began to amass at Northrop Plaza on the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities campus. In addition to striking Teamsters, the crowd included many supporters from other unions, as well as students, faculty and community members. It was raining, but the environment was high energy as a marching band played rally songs in between boisterous chants.

Then at 5:30, Teamsters from all over campus marched up to the waiting crowd. The chants from the march echoed off the walls of campus buildings as the march went from picket line to picket line growing in size as it moved. The Teamsters were greeted by loud cheers and the crowd kept getting larger.

Shortly after the rain cleared, the rally began. Teamsters spoke about why they are on strike, and Jackson Kerr, the Teamsters 320 business agent and chief negotiator for the Teamsters contract at the university, delivered a powerful speech from the steps of the plaza against the backdrop of Scabby, a large inflatable rat often seen at Teamsters strikes.

The crowd was also addressed by supporters from the Graduate Labor Union, undergrad students and AFSCME Local 3800, which represents clerical, technical and healthcare workers at the university. Additionally, two University of Minnesota Regents, Robyn Gulley and Mary Turner, spoke in support of the strikers’ demands. Mary Turner is also a president of National Nurses United, and Robyn Gulley is also the executive director of the New Brookwood Labor College.

Once the speeches and chants wrapped up, the crowd began to march. All throughout the rally the crowd kept growing and by the time the march started moving the 1000-plus crowd stretched out over blocks of campus and the chants boomed across campus.

The march proceeded across the campus mall area, taking a winding route past the student union building, then on to the medical area of campus where the crowd stopped and more speeches were delivered. After those speeches ended, the march turned around going back the direction it had arrived from and dropped Teamsters off at their picket lines as it went.

Friday was day five of the Teamsters strike at the university. It is impossible to say how long it will go on, but one thing can be said. Each day the strike has gained increased numbers of supporters and held larger actions. What remains to be seen is how large it will get before the university calls the workers back to the table with an offer that meets their demands.

Editor’s note: The strike ended late Friday night with a union victory. We will have more coverage of the strike in coming days.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Labor #Teamsters #IBT320

The workers are represented by Teamsters Local 320. Teamsters have approved strike benefits for the Teamsters at the U which would offer $1000 per week that the workers are on strike. The strike would occur across all five University of Minnesota campuses, including the large Twin Cities campus. The workers who would be striking include building cleaners, workers who service dormitories, do maintenance of grounds, maintain HVAC systems, care for research animals and drive trucks, among other duties.

The Teamsters say that they are striking because the university has failed to address key issues in bargaining, as well as low wage scales and cuts to benefits. The Teamsters contract with the university expired on June 30.

No deal was reached before expiration and the university is currently offering amounts to a two-and-half-year contract, including raises of 2.5% in the first year and 1% in the second year. At the same time as offering only 3.5% over the length of the contract, the university is proposing a 10% increase in healthcare costs for the workers, which would mean that for many workers the pay increases would not keep up with the cost increases for healthcare; the ultimate impact would in effect be a pay decrease for the workers. The university also wants the right to pay new hires higher pay rates than long-term workers who do the same jobs.

Christy O’Connor is a senior building and grounds worker who has worked at the university for 26 years. O’Connor said, “Our pay isn’t keeping up with inflation and many of us are forced to work multiple jobs,” adding, “We are struggling to support our families, but after months at the bargaining table, UMN is only offering us tiny raises that barely offset the big increases in healthcare costs that UMN expects us to pay.”

The Teamsters have also said that the university has been unwilling to deal with harassment of their members in food services, which is run by Chartwells Higher Ed, which is a subsidiary of the Compass Group. According to the university’s own data, disciplines increased by 96% over a two-year period between 2022 and 2024. The data also shows that while only 40% of the workforce in dining services are women, the majority of suspensions and firings have been targeted at women workers. Since the year 2000, Compass Group has paid out nearly $35 million in fines and penalties, including $9.6 million in employment-related offenses and $843,755 in penalties for employment discrimination.

Christina Magee has been a food service worker on the Twin Cities campus for nine years and said, “Management in dining harasses a lot of workers, and we’ve brought it to UMN’s attention. This is a company that has been fined millions for discrimination and abuse across the U.S. But the university doesn’t seem to care and says we shouldn’t be able to file complaints against the vendor when it mistreats us.”

The strike could begin any time after August 20. Notably, the week beginning on August 25 is known at the university as “move-in week.” During move-in week the campus is buzzing with students attempting to move into dorms and returning to campus. The mix of jobs that the Teamsters do is in strong demand that week, as even on a good year the week is fast paced and chaotic. A strike is likely to have a major impact on move-in week.

#ChicagoIL #IL #Labor #Teamsters #IBT320 #UMN