Minneapolis, MN – University of Minnesota AFSCME members confronted soon-to-be-inaugurated University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel at the September 13 Board of Regents meeting in the McNamara Alumni Center.

Steph Taylor, AFSCME 3800 vice-president, said, “We presented over 1000 petition signatures demanding that our contributions should be respected with a contract that includes real wage increases and moves people to the top of the pay scale faster, with no increases to health care costs.”

She added, “President Gabel has met with every employee group but refuses to meet with us while we are in negotiations. The fact is, this is the most important time to meet with us because what we are negotiating dictates our livelihoods – so we are putting ourselves on your agenda.”

Cherrene Horazuk, AFSCME 3800 president said, “The university likes to talk about equity and inclusion, but they refuse to recognize and reward the contributions of the predominantly female clerical workforce. When it comes time for budgeting, the Board of Regents seems content to leave frontline staff behind.”

Next week the university will be hosting inauguration activities and AFSCME will ensure visibility for the workers who do the behind- the-scenes work, every day, that makes the university run.

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Over 1200 University of Minnesota AFSCME workers were on strike for 18 days in September, mainly over wages. The university administration refused to give clerical, technical and health care workers the full raise that the state legislature had allotted for them and that other state workers had received. Instead the administration shortchanged the workers and dug in it its heels. In spite of the strike, broad student, community and labor support, and significant legislative pressure in support of the workers, the administration remained intransigent on the workers’ main wage demand.

Union members wanted to send a message to the Regents that even though members voted to end the strike out of financial necessity, that doesn’t mean the workers are satisfied with the settlement. A statement issued by the union and distributed to those in attendance at the Regents meeting said, “This settlement is inadequate. It does not account for the ever rising cost of food, gas and housing.” Workers are back at work, but are continuing the fight for a living wage that keeps pace with inflation.

The University, fearing a disruption of the meeting, responded to the AFSCME workers’ attendance at the regents meeting with a large police presence in the meeting room and throughout the McNamara building. However, there was no disruption, just a visible presence of union members wearing union t-shirts and buttons. About half the meeting room was filled with union members who all stood up silently together when their contract was brought up for discussion. As the regents voted to ratify the contract, many union members turned their backs on the board in a show of disgust.

After the regents meeting the AFSCME workers held a rally outside the building to inspire their co-workers to action for the continuing struggle for a living wage for clerical, technical and health care workers at the U. Speakers at the rally included Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME Local 3800, Barb Bezat, president of AFSCME Local 3937, Gil Huie of Local 3937, and Jess Crary of the Living Wage Avengers.

Living Wage Avengers is a rank-and-file group of workers and students that emerged after the strike to organize in creative ways to continue the fight for a living wage. At the rally, Crary said, “We are the Living Wage Avengers, colleagues who met on the picket lines, a group committed to taking direct action for the sake of economic justice, a group that exists because of the strike. Our union leaders and active union members continue to fight, and so must we all continue to fight. Our chance to affect change has been sitting here in front of us, just waiting for us to grab it. The strike is our catalyst for action. Our time is right here, our time is right now.” Crary added, “and our power only grows from this moment.”

In an interview in the Minnesota Daily newspaper in October, University of Minnesota President Bob Bruininks stated that he thinks that, “no one, absolutely no one, wins when you have a strike. Everyone loses. And I think that was the case here at the University of Minnesota.”

Speaking at the rally, AFSCME 3800 president Phyllis Walker disagreed. She said, “In a strike it is easy to quantify the losses – all you have to do is add up the salary you lost. But the wins are there, and they definitely outweigh the losses. We were strong, we were united and that solidarity will carry us forward and keep us strong for future battles – and there will be many future battles. Our strike has put the university on notice that we are willing and able to stand and fight this union busting, anti-worker employer together and that will act as a springboard for the campaigns that lay ahead.”

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Minneapolis, MN – Over 650 people turned out to a rally held by striking AFSCME workers on the plaza of McNamara Alumni Center on September 7. The crowd included State Representative and Chair of the House Finance Committee, Lyndon Carlson, Secretary of State Mark Richie, representatives from unions across the Twin Cities, students, faculty, staff, and activists.

Speaking before the crowd, Rep. Carlson stated that the legislature had allocated an additional $150 million to the University of Minnesota budget with the intent of providing “fair and equitable pay” to University employees as a priority. He added that “the problem was not so complex that it couldn't be resolved today.” He then went on to say that getting the University back to the bargaining table was a priority.

Thirty-three year University employee Laurie Eisenschenk spoke of how her family is struggling. “I'm not trying to live in the lap of luxury, I'm just trying to get by. My family has had some medical issues and now we are losing our home in December.”

Other speakers included AFSCME Council 5 president Eliot Seide, ATU 1005 President Michelle Sommers, and AMFA Local 33 President Ted Ludwig, who all reported strong donations to the U of M worker's strike fund as well as growing recognition and support of the strike around the country and even among some unions in other countries.

David Gilbert-Pederson reported about a protest earlier in the day in which 120 students marched into the University of Minnesota Regents meeting to demand fair wages for U of M workers. Five protesters were arrested inside the Regents meeting.

Talking about the student protest inside the Board of Regents meeting, Tracy Molm of Students for a Democratic Society stated, “We sent a strong message to the Board of Regents that students back AFSCME workers in their fight for economic justice.”

Students presented their demands to the Regents while other protestors blocked the door preventing the regents from leaving. The five demonstrators who sat in front of the door were arrested. They are currently being held in Hennepin County Jail.

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