UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 &mdash; Fight Back! News https://fightbacknews.org/tag:UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 News and Views from the People's Struggle Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:43:45 +0000 https://i.snap.as/RZCOEKyz.png UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 &mdash; Fight Back! News https://fightbacknews.org/tag:UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 Minnesota: AFSCME workers pack regents meeting, rally for living wage https://fightbacknews.org/afscmeregents?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Minneapolis, MN - About 50 University of Minnesota AFSCME clerical, technical and health care workers packed the Nov. 9 Board of Regents meeting here, as the workers’ contract was ratified. The significant workers’ presence at the meeting, despite the fact that it was during the workday, showed the administration that union members at the University of Minnesota are determined to continue the fight for economic justice. !--more-- 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.” #MinneapolisMN #Minneapolis #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #UniversityOfMinnesotaRegents #LivingWageAvengers #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Minneapolis, MN – About 50 University of Minnesota AFSCME clerical, technical and health care workers packed the Nov. 9 Board of Regents meeting here, as the workers’ contract was ratified. The significant workers’ presence at the meeting, despite the fact that it was during the workday, showed the administration that union members at the University of Minnesota are determined to continue the fight for economic justice.

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.”

#MinneapolisMN #Minneapolis #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #UniversityOfMinnesotaRegents #LivingWageAvengers #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/afscmeregents Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:04:33 +0000 Strike ends, struggle continues for U of MN workers https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrugglecontinues?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Minneapolis, MN - After being on strike for nearly three weeks, workers at the University of Minnesota returned to work on September 21. They went back to work still angry at the U administration, but better organized and determined to carry forward the struggle for economic justice. University clerical, health care and technical workers in four unions struck after the U administration refused to give them the salary increase that other state workers received and that the state legislature had budgeted for them to keep up with inflation. Members of AFSCME Locals 3260, 3800, 3801, and 3937 went on strike all over the state on the second day of the school year, September 5, after months of negotiations. !--more-- Lasting almost three weeks, the strike mobilized over 1,000 workers. Daily strike rallies mobilized thousands of strikers and supporters in the first week. In the second week of the strike, picketing focused on cutting off supplies coming in on trucks to the U’s loading docks. Many truck drivers are union members who won’t cross picket lines. By picketing the loading docks, strikers were able to turn away and delay many trucks, causing chaos inside the U. Many picketers spoke joyfully of defying one of the U’s top lawyers, who spent days running around the loading docks trying to intimidate picketers. The strike brought the rank and file members of all four U of M AFSCME unions together for the first time. Union members were transformed during the strike, becoming much more organized and disciplined on the picket lines as they saw that disciplined picketing could seriously affect the U’s operations. The striking workers received large amounts of support from students, professors, state legislators, other unions and community members. A Labor and Community Support Committee organized daily actions to support the workers during the strike. Over 20 academic department heads wrote letters to U of M President Bruininks supporting the workers’ demands, as did thousands of students and professors. During the first week of the strike over 100 students marched into the U Board of Regents meeting on September 7 to talk to them about the workers’ demands. The regents walked out of the room and had five protesters arrested. In the second week of the strike, eleven students, a professor, and two workers launched a hunger strike in solidarity with striking workers. Two days later 40 more people joined the hunger strike for a day. The hunger strike lasted until the end of the strike, with one student going to the hospital with dehydration while another got walking pneumonia. The U administration appeared unprepared to respond to the hunger strike. On the third day of the hunger strike, a U spokesperson announced they would send a nutritionist to talk to the students about proper nutrition. According to hunger striker Tracy Molm, “the administration pretended to care about our health by sending out a nutritionist. At the same time they were ready to jeopardize the health care coverage of thousands of striking workers by allowing the strike to drag on past when workers’ health benefits would expire. And if they cared about the hunger strikers’ health, they could have just settled the strike, which would have ended the hunger strike too. The administration doesn’t care about workers or students.” Hundreds of students marched on various parts of the sprawling U of M campus in almost daily marches and rallies supporting the strike. When students marched by picket lines, a popular chant was “workers and student will never be defeated!” On one night, a labor fundraiser raised over $20,000 from other unions to support the U workers’ hardship fund. Members of other unions in the area joined the U of M picket lines and rallies. Prominent state legislators wrote open letters to U of M President Bruininks, saying they had budgeted more money for workers’ raises and criticizing him for giving workers less. The U of M strike seriously disrupted some key clinics and offices, while the workers received broad public support. But despite this, the U administration refused to give in on the workers’ main demand – to increase their across-the-board annual pay raise to keep pace with inflation. Instead, the strike won larger one-time “lump sum” payments in both years of the contract. While winning more money could be considered a partial victory, union leaders noted that lump sum payments don’t go on the base salary to help wages keep up with inflation over time. “This offer is unfair because it fails to keep up with inflation,” said Rhonda Jennen, president of the health care workers. “The U is choosing to impoverish some of its workers. World class universities don’t treat their workers like second class citizens.” On September 21, the union ended the strike and decided to bring the administration’s settlement offer back to all members for a vote, without recommendation. Normally when there is a tentative agreement the union will recommend that union members vote for the proposal. The lack of a recommendation made clear the union’s unhappiness with the U’s settlement offer. Regardless of how the vote turns out, union leaders and rank and file members are continuing their campaign for economic justice for the lowest paid workers at the University. “We are forced back to work because we can no longer sustain the loss of salary and a looming end to our health care coverage...we remain shocked by the administration’s absolute disregard for people’s lives,” said Denise Osterholm, President of UM-Duluth’s Local 3801. “This settlement is inadequate in that it does not account for the ever rising cost of food, gas and housing. Because of inflation, someone starting work under this contract will earn eight percent less than someone who started the job in 2003.” In a statement announcing the end of the strike, the union said, “We have been met at every turn by an intransigent administration, led by President Robert Bruininks and Vice President and Provost E. Thomas Sullivan, who are committed to the idea that those who already have should have ever more while the have-nots are pushed further to the bottom.” Phyllis Walker, Local 3800 president, said, “We wish to thank the many thousands across the state who have given us support, including faculty, students, unions and community members. We are energized to build a world class union. We are confident that we will do that before the administration builds a world class University. Bruininks and Sullivan have an agenda of more money for the rich, more free research for corporations, and education only for the elite. Their agenda shuts working class Minnesotans out of the University.” #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Minneapolis, MN – After being on strike for nearly three weeks, workers at the University of Minnesota returned to work on September 21. They went back to work still angry at the U administration, but better organized and determined to carry forward the struggle for economic justice. University clerical, health care and technical workers in four unions struck after the U administration refused to give them the salary increase that other state workers received and that the state legislature had budgeted for them to keep up with inflation. Members of AFSCME Locals 3260, 3800, 3801, and 3937 went on strike all over the state on the second day of the school year, September 5, after months of negotiations.

Lasting almost three weeks, the strike mobilized over 1,000 workers. Daily strike rallies mobilized thousands of strikers and supporters in the first week. In the second week of the strike, picketing focused on cutting off supplies coming in on trucks to the U’s loading docks. Many truck drivers are union members who won’t cross picket lines. By picketing the loading docks, strikers were able to turn away and delay many trucks, causing chaos inside the U. Many picketers spoke joyfully of defying one of the U’s top lawyers, who spent days running around the loading docks trying to intimidate picketers. The strike brought the rank and file members of all four U of M AFSCME unions together for the first time. Union members were transformed during the strike, becoming much more organized and disciplined on the picket lines as they saw that disciplined picketing could seriously affect the U’s operations.

The striking workers received large amounts of support from students, professors, state legislators, other unions and community members. A Labor and Community Support Committee organized daily actions to support the workers during the strike. Over 20 academic department heads wrote letters to U of M President Bruininks supporting the workers’ demands, as did thousands of students and professors. During the first week of the strike over 100 students marched into the U Board of Regents meeting on September 7 to talk to them about the workers’ demands. The regents walked out of the room and had five protesters arrested.

In the second week of the strike, eleven students, a professor, and two workers launched a hunger strike in solidarity with striking workers. Two days later 40 more people joined the hunger strike for a day. The hunger strike lasted until the end of the strike, with one student going to the hospital with dehydration while another got walking pneumonia. The U administration appeared unprepared to respond to the hunger strike. On the third day of the hunger strike, a U spokesperson announced they would send a nutritionist to talk to the students about proper nutrition. According to hunger striker Tracy Molm, “the administration pretended to care about our health by sending out a nutritionist. At the same time they were ready to jeopardize the health care coverage of thousands of striking workers by allowing the strike to drag on past when workers’ health benefits would expire. And if they cared about the hunger strikers’ health, they could have just settled the strike, which would have ended the hunger strike too. The administration doesn’t care about workers or students.”

Hundreds of students marched on various parts of the sprawling U of M campus in almost daily marches and rallies supporting the strike. When students marched by picket lines, a popular chant was “workers and student will never be defeated!” On one night, a labor fundraiser raised over $20,000 from other unions to support the U workers’ hardship fund. Members of other unions in the area joined the U of M picket lines and rallies.

Prominent state legislators wrote open letters to U of M President Bruininks, saying they had budgeted more money for workers’ raises and criticizing him for giving workers less.

The U of M strike seriously disrupted some key clinics and offices, while the workers received broad public support. But despite this, the U administration refused to give in on the workers’ main demand – to increase their across-the-board annual pay raise to keep pace with inflation. Instead, the strike won larger one-time “lump sum” payments in both years of the contract. While winning more money could be considered a partial victory, union leaders noted that lump sum payments don’t go on the base salary to help wages keep up with inflation over time. “This offer is unfair because it fails to keep up with inflation,” said Rhonda Jennen, president of the health care workers. “The U is choosing to impoverish some of its workers. World class universities don’t treat their workers like second class citizens.”

On September 21, the union ended the strike and decided to bring the administration’s settlement offer back to all members for a vote, without recommendation. Normally when there is a tentative agreement the union will recommend that union members vote for the proposal. The lack of a recommendation made clear the union’s unhappiness with the U’s settlement offer. Regardless of how the vote turns out, union leaders and rank and file members are continuing their campaign for economic justice for the lowest paid workers at the University. “We are forced back to work because we can no longer sustain the loss of salary and a looming end to our health care coverage...we remain shocked by the administration’s absolute disregard for people’s lives,” said Denise Osterholm, President of UM-Duluth’s Local 3801. “This settlement is inadequate in that it does not account for the ever rising cost of food, gas and housing. Because of inflation, someone starting work under this contract will earn eight percent less than someone who started the job in 2003.”

In a statement announcing the end of the strike, the union said, “We have been met at every turn by an intransigent administration, led by President Robert Bruininks and Vice President and Provost E. Thomas Sullivan, who are committed to the idea that those who already have should have ever more while the have-nots are pushed further to the bottom.”

Phyllis Walker, Local 3800 president, said, “We wish to thank the many thousands across the state who have given us support, including faculty, students, unions and community members. We are energized to build a world class union. We are confident that we will do that before the administration builds a world class University. Bruininks and Sullivan have an agenda of more money for the rich, more free research for corporations, and education only for the elite. Their agenda shuts working class Minnesotans out of the University.”

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrugglecontinues Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:57:28 +0000 U of M AFSCME Goes Back To Work, Fight Continues https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikeends?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the University of Minnesota AFSCME strikers. !--more-- September 21, 2007  - After 15 hours of mediation, the negotiating committee of University of Minnesota AFSCME has made the decision to take the University Administration's settlement offer to union members for a vote. The two-year contract offer contains a 2.25 percent cost of living increase for clerical and technical workers, a 2.5 percent cost of living increase for healthcare workers, plus steps and a $300 lump sum in each year. Workers who don't receive step increases will get an additional $300 in each year. This offer will go to members without recommendation from the negotiating committee. "We are forced back to work because we can no longer sustain the loss of salary and a looming end to our health care coverage. A typical striker earns $34,000 a years and qualifies for food stamps if supporting a family of four. We remain shocked by the administrations absolute disregard for people's lives," said Denise Osterholm, President of UMD Local 3801. This settlement is inadequate in that it does not account for the ever rising cost of food, gas and housing. Because of inflation, someone starting work under this contract will earn eight percent less than someone who started the job in 2003. Barb Bezat, President of the Technical Local 3937 said, "The University should be ashamed that its workers can't afford to attend or send their kids to the University." "This offer is unfair because it fails to keep up with inflation," said, Rhonda Jennen President of the healthcare workers. "The U is choosing to impoverish some of its workers. World class universities don't treat their workers like second class citizens." We have been met at every turn by an intransigent administration, led by President Robert Bruininks and Vice President and Provost E. Thomas Sullivan, who are committed to the idea that those who already have should have ever more while the have-nots are pushed further to the bottom. "While we have a great commitment to the University of Minnesota as an institution, we have been treated with disrespect and disregard by the current administration." said Bezat. Phyllis Walker, Clerical Local 3800 President said, "We wish to thank the many thousands across the state who have given us support, including faculty, students, unions and community members. We are energized to build a world class union. We are confident that we will do that before the administration builds a world class University. Bruininks and Sullivan have an agenda of more money for the rich, more free research for corporations, and education only for the elite. Their agenda shuts working class Minnesotans out of the University." #TwinCitiesMN #Minneapolis #Statement #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCME3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #UMD #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Fight Back News Service is circulating the following statement from the University of Minnesota AFSCME strikers.

September 21, 2007  – After 15 hours of mediation, the negotiating committee of University of Minnesota AFSCME has made the decision to take the University Administration's settlement offer to union members for a vote.

The two-year contract offer contains a 2.25 percent cost of living increase for clerical and technical workers, a 2.5 percent cost of living increase for healthcare workers, plus steps and a $300 lump sum in each year. Workers who don't receive step increases will get an additional $300 in each year. This offer will go to members without recommendation from the negotiating committee.

“We are forced back to work because we can no longer sustain the loss of salary and a looming end to our health care coverage. A typical striker earns $34,000 a years and qualifies for food stamps if supporting a family of four. We remain shocked by the administrations absolute disregard for people's lives,” said Denise Osterholm, President of UMD Local 3801.

This settlement is inadequate in that it does not account for the ever rising cost of food, gas and housing. Because of inflation, someone starting work under this contract will earn eight percent less than someone who started the job in 2003.

Barb Bezat, President of the Technical Local 3937 said, “The University should be ashamed that its workers can't afford to attend or send their kids to the University.”

“This offer is unfair because it fails to keep up with inflation,” said, Rhonda Jennen President of the healthcare workers. “The U is choosing to impoverish some of its workers. World class universities don't treat their workers like second class citizens.”

We have been met at every turn by an intransigent administration, led by President Robert Bruininks and Vice President and Provost E. Thomas Sullivan, who are committed to the idea that those who already have should have ever more while the have-nots are pushed further to the bottom.

“While we have a great commitment to the University of Minnesota as an institution, we have been treated with disrespect and disregard by the current administration.” said Bezat.

Phyllis Walker, Clerical Local 3800 President said, “We wish to thank the many thousands across the state who have given us support, including faculty, students, unions and community members. We are energized to build a world class union. We are confident that we will do that before the administration builds a world class University. Bruininks and Sullivan have an agenda of more money for the rich, more free research for corporations, and education only for the elite. Their agenda shuts working class Minnesotans out of the University.”

#TwinCitiesMN #Minneapolis #Statement #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCME3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #UMD #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikeends Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:53:19 +0000 Minnesota: Legislators back AFSCME strikers; Hunger strike enters day two https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikesep18?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Minneapolis, MN - State Senators John Marty and Patricia Torres-Ray and State Representative Frank Hornstein held a press conference, Sept. 18 support of striking University of Minnesota AFSCME workers. !--more-- State Rep. Frank Hornstein, D-Minneapolis, said, "I speak for many of my colleagues in demanding that the collective bargaining process resume and the university come back to the table." He added, "We don't want the leadership of this institution to squander the goodwill they now have. We don't want the strike to last a day longer." State Sen. John Marty, D-Roseville, said, “The 2007 increase in the university's appropriation was a response to Bruinink's request to fund increases in compensation. We didn't expect the pay raise would be dished out so that the people at the bottom of the pay scale get the least. But that's what's happening here. President Bruininks, I appeal to you and the Board of Regents. I think it's time to get back to the bargaining table. Do the right thing." State Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, D-Minneapolis stated, "I am incredibly disappointed with the administration's actions. This is an issue of equity and fairness. I am going to make sure that in the future, we question the appropriation for the university in the Senate." Brian Senske, AFSCME Local 3937 member and technical worker at university Medical School said, "We work hard and we love our jobs and we love this institution. But we can't afford to make any more sacrifices for it. We need to get back to the table and back to work but we deserve a fair wage increase that keeps us up with inflation." In related a developments, a hunger strike by students who are in solidarity with university workers entered its second day. Also, strikers converged on campus loading docks, delaying and turning back trucks making deliveries. #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #FrankHornstein #JohnMarty #PatriciaTorresRay #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Minneapolis, MN – State Senators John Marty and Patricia Torres-Ray and State Representative Frank Hornstein held a press conference, Sept. 18 support of striking University of Minnesota AFSCME workers.

State Rep. Frank Hornstein, D-Minneapolis, said, “I speak for many of my colleagues in demanding that the collective bargaining process resume and the university come back to the table.” He added, “We don't want the leadership of this institution to squander the goodwill they now have. We don't want the strike to last a day longer.”

State Sen. John Marty, D-Roseville, said, “The 2007 increase in the university's appropriation was a response to Bruinink's request to fund increases in compensation. We didn't expect the pay raise would be dished out so that the people at the bottom of the pay scale get the least. But that's what's happening here. President Bruininks, I appeal to you and the Board of Regents. I think it's time to get back to the bargaining table. Do the right thing.”

State Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, D-Minneapolis stated, “I am incredibly disappointed with the administration's actions. This is an issue of equity and fairness. I am going to make sure that in the future, we question the appropriation for the university in the Senate.”

Brian Senske, AFSCME Local 3937 member and technical worker at university Medical School said, “We work hard and we love our jobs and we love this institution. But we can't afford to make any more sacrifices for it. We need to get back to the table and back to work but we deserve a fair wage increase that keeps us up with inflation.”

In related a developments, a hunger strike by students who are in solidarity with university workers entered its second day. Also, strikers converged on campus loading docks, delaying and turning back trucks making deliveries.

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #FrankHornstein #JohnMarty #PatriciaTorresRay #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikesep18 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:42:54 +0000 Minnesota: New strikers join AFSCME picket lines at the University, Students set hunger strike for Monday https://fightbacknews.org/uofmsep14?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Minneapolis, MN - Ten registration, scheduling and insurance processing staff who had been working at Boynton Health Services joined the picket lines, Sept. 13. When asked why they joined the picket lines all agreed that, "We wanted to join the picket lines to support all of our co-workers who have been out on the lines before us." Tammy Harris, Boynton outpatient clinic assistant said, "I went out on strike because I want change." !--more-- The strike continues to take its toll on university operations. Twelve people in the School of Journalism received an email that read in part, "You are receiving this message because your fall appointment was entered into the payroll entry system after the payroll entry cut-off…(We're experiencing delays with some payroll entry items that we can only guess is due to the strike.)” The University is experiencing delays in the delivery of goods and services as unionized delivery drivers honor AFSCME's picket lines at loading docks. Hunger Strike At a Sept. 13 student solidarity rally, Isaac Kamola read statement on behalf of students. It read in part: "The administration's treatment of the AFSCME workers represents a future of economic injustice and inequality. The administration's offer is not only unfair, it violates the inherent human rights of workers to a livable and equitable wage. We refuse to live in that world and we refuse to silently allow our institution to perpetuate this inequality and injustice. We refuse to allow our university to be an employer in which fulltime, long-term employees fail to make a living wage and must take on second jobs, or choose health care or gas over basic necessities like food. We refuse to allow the administration to offer such measly contracts that our AFSCME brother and sisters must go to food shelters to meet their needs.” The students’ statement continued, “Now we are taking a principled stand. Your refusal to listen to us has forced us to take drastic action, to put our bodies on the line. Starting this Monday, Sept. 17, 2007 at noon, a committed group of students will begin a hunger strike in solidarity with the striking workers. We refuse to let our sisters and brothers in AFSCME go hungry alone. In a survey of AFSCME workers, 25% said they had trouble buying food for their families. We want justice for our community, and that means nobody in our university should go hungry." Tracy Molm, a member of Students for Democratic Society states, “We back AFSCME’s fight for economic justice, and we are building a student movement that is solidarity with that struggle.” Pressure is building on the University president Robert Bruininks. Said Barb Bezat, president of AFSCME 3937, "The university administration is no longer trying to claim that the strike is having no impact, as it tried to say in the first days. The strike is having an impact economically, politically and morally on the campus community. Robert Bruininks has the power to end the strike tomorrow. He needs to put the money the legislature gave the university for workers' salaries on the table. #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #SDS #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #HungerStrike #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Minneapolis, MN – Ten registration, scheduling and insurance processing staff who had been working at Boynton Health Services joined the picket lines, Sept. 13. When asked why they joined the picket lines all agreed that, “We wanted to join the picket lines to support all of our co-workers who have been out on the lines before us.” Tammy Harris, Boynton outpatient clinic assistant said, “I went out on strike because I want change.”

The strike continues to take its toll on university operations. Twelve people in the School of Journalism received an email that read in part, “You are receiving this message because your fall appointment was entered into the payroll entry system after the payroll entry cut-off…(We're experiencing delays with some payroll entry items that we can only guess is due to the strike.)”

The University is experiencing delays in the delivery of goods and services as unionized delivery drivers honor AFSCME's picket lines at loading docks.

Hunger Strike

At a Sept. 13 student solidarity rally, Isaac Kamola read statement on behalf of students. It read in part:

“The administration's treatment of the AFSCME workers represents a future of economic injustice and inequality. The administration's offer is not only unfair, it violates the inherent human rights of workers to a livable and equitable wage. We refuse to live in that world and we refuse to silently allow our institution to perpetuate this inequality and injustice. We refuse to allow our university to be an employer in which fulltime, long-term employees fail to make a living wage and must take on second jobs, or choose health care or gas over basic necessities like food. We refuse to allow the administration to offer such measly contracts that our AFSCME brother and sisters must go to food shelters to meet their needs.”

The students’ statement continued, “Now we are taking a principled stand. Your refusal to listen to us has forced us to take drastic action, to put our bodies on the line. Starting this Monday, Sept. 17, 2007 at noon, a committed group of students will begin a hunger strike in solidarity with the striking workers. We refuse to let our sisters and brothers in AFSCME go hungry alone. In a survey of AFSCME workers, 25% said they had trouble buying food for their families. We want justice for our community, and that means nobody in our university should go hungry.”

Tracy Molm, a member of Students for Democratic Society states, “We back AFSCME’s fight for economic justice, and we are building a student movement that is solidarity with that struggle.”

Pressure is building on the University president Robert Bruininks. Said Barb Bezat, president of AFSCME 3937, “The university administration is no longer trying to claim that the strike is having no impact, as it tried to say in the first days. The strike is having an impact economically, politically and morally on the campus community. Robert Bruininks has the power to end the strike tomorrow. He needs to put the money the legislature gave the university for workers' salaries on the table.

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #SDS #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #HungerStrike #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmsep14 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:39:26 +0000 Minnesota: U of MN hit hard by AFSCME strike https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikehitshard?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Minneapolis, MN - University faculty and students held a press conference, Sept. 11, to decry disruptions caused by the strike and demand the University come back to the table with a fair wage offer. !--more-- Anna Clark, professor of history said, "Not only is this strike a disruption from a moral and political perspective, but I have students who are unable to add my class because staff that would normally process the paper work are absent." She went on to report that 152 classes impacting over 4000 students are being held off campus. 500 students attended a "Teach-out in support of AFSCME workers" held at the Oak Street Theatre today. Sofi Shank, university freshman added, "I am trying to get oriented to the university and instead of focusing on my classes I am forced to choose between going to class and violating my principles by being asked to cross a picket line." The student newspaper, the Minnesota Daily quoted Dan Wolters, university spokesperson as saying, "The veterinary clinic is one of the departments hit hardest. It can accept only emergency calls until the strike abates because of the exceptional number of missing employees.” Other areas of the University struggling to deal with the loss of workers are the dental clinic, Boynton Health Service and University Police Department 911 operators. Disability Services reports that at least 17 classes are without disability accommodation because of the strike. This fact could put the University into a non-compliant status under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition, networking and telecommunications is extremely shorthanded and is having difficulty managing trouble tickets, the regular daily calls for repairs in the Universities technologies services. Jess Sundin, an AFSCME employee from the Physiology Department said, "It is unacceptable that the University is allowing the education of our students to be disrupted. We really want to go back to work because we care about the education of our students, and we love working with them. The University has the responsibility to come to the table with the money that the legislature allocated for our salaries. We value our jobs and expect the University to value them too." #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #StudentMovement #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #facultyStikeSupport #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Minneapolis, MN – University faculty and students held a press conference, Sept. 11, to decry disruptions caused by the strike and demand the University come back to the table with a fair wage offer.

Anna Clark, professor of history said, “Not only is this strike a disruption from a moral and political perspective, but I have students who are unable to add my class because staff that would normally process the paper work are absent.”

She went on to report that 152 classes impacting over 4000 students are being held off campus. 500 students attended a “Teach-out in support of AFSCME workers” held at the Oak Street Theatre today.

Sofi Shank, university freshman added, “I am trying to get oriented to the university and instead of focusing on my classes I am forced to choose between going to class and violating my principles by being asked to cross a picket line.”

The student newspaper, the Minnesota Daily quoted Dan Wolters, university spokesperson as saying, “The veterinary clinic is one of the departments hit hardest. It can accept only emergency calls until the strike abates because of the exceptional number of missing employees.” Other areas of the University struggling to deal with the loss of workers are the dental clinic, Boynton Health Service and University Police Department 911 operators.

Disability Services reports that at least 17 classes are without disability accommodation because of the strike. This fact could put the University into a non-compliant status under the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition, networking and telecommunications is extremely shorthanded and is having difficulty managing trouble tickets, the regular daily calls for repairs in the Universities technologies services.

Jess Sundin, an AFSCME employee from the Physiology Department said, “It is unacceptable that the University is allowing the education of our students to be disrupted. We really want to go back to work because we care about the education of our students, and we love working with them. The University has the responsibility to come to the table with the money that the legislature allocated for our salaries. We value our jobs and expect the University to value them too.”

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #StudentMovement #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #facultyStikeSupport #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikehitshard Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:31:31 +0000 Minnesota: University AFSCME strike on day 6 https://fightbacknews.org/strikeday6?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Al Franken addresses stikers.") Minneapolis, MN - Sept. 10 marked day 6 of the strike by University of Minnesota AFSCME. Picket lines remain strong as does worker participation in the strike. The strike is having a growing impact on the University of Minnesota. !--more-- The dental school and veterinarian teaching hospital are losing hundreds of thousands in patient revenue every week. While these clinics are not closed, they are only taking emergent patients. The opening of the Equine Center has been delayed until the end of the strike. Food and supplies were turned away from loading docks as Teamster drivers honored picket lines. Law school interviews that had been scheduled for this week were moved off campus as law firms choose to honor AFSCME picket lines. Minnesota Senate Candidate Al Franken addressed a crowd of striking workers at noon today and encouraged them to keep fighting. Tuesday and Wednesday will mark a "Teachout in Solidarity with Striking Workers" from 10a.m. until 3p.m. at the Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak Street SE. In addition, 154 classes representing 4500 students will be held off campus on Tuesday and Wednesday. Sept. 11 is Teamster Tuesday on the picket lines. U of M Teamster members are encouraged to join striking AFSCME workers on the picket lines during their non-working hours. Expressions of support as well as donations to the U of M AFSCME support fund continue to pour in from throughout the country. On Friday, in a letter addressed to President Bruininks and the Board of Regents, state Representatives Tom Rukavina, chair of the House Higher Education Finance Committee and Mary Murphy, Chair of the House Education Finance Committee wrote in part, “It is sad that we have to write this letter. We are deeply disappointed that thousands of University employees have been forced onto the picket lines due to the unwillingness of the University administration to provide adequate contact settlements for its clerical, technical and health care workers. For the first time in many years, the Minnesota Legislature provided the University with a generous 3.25% salary supplement. We expected those funds to be used to benefit all University employees. We can’t understand how you can justify your minuscule offer of 2.25% on the salary schedule for your hard working, dedicated employees.” In a separate letter, Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Speaker of the Minnesota House wrote, “During the 2007 legislative session, the legislature appropriated funds to the University of Minnesota after lengthy committee discussion with the implicit intent of a reasonable salary supplement to improve the standard of living of workers facing inflationary pressures. Frontline workers at the University of Minnesota deserve respect and a fair contract. I encourage you to bring your negotiators back to the table with additional resources and to find a compromise that honors those workers that serve the University of Minnesota, its students and the public” AFSCME Local 3800 President, Phyllis Walker said, “Our strike is having a tremendous impact on the University of Minnesota. Student services are impacted and faculty and administrators are being forced to answer phones and make copies instead of teaching and planning. The State legislature allocated enough money to the University for a reasonable salary settlement. We call on the administration to be good stewards of the public trust and come to the bargaining table today with a fair offer. AFSCME is ready to get back to the work of education. We hope the U administration is ready to do the same.” Banner: Standing up for our standard of living.") #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCME3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #AlFranken #RepMargaretAndersonKelliher #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Al Franken addresses stikers.

Minneapolis, MN – Sept. 10 marked day 6 of the strike by University of Minnesota AFSCME. Picket lines remain strong as does worker participation in the strike. The strike is having a growing impact on the University of Minnesota.

The dental school and veterinarian teaching hospital are losing hundreds of thousands in patient revenue every week. While these clinics are not closed, they are only taking emergent patients. The opening of the Equine Center has been delayed until the end of the strike.

Food and supplies were turned away from loading docks as Teamster drivers honored picket lines. Law school interviews that had been scheduled for this week were moved off campus as law firms choose to honor AFSCME picket lines. Minnesota Senate Candidate Al Franken addressed a crowd of striking workers at noon today and encouraged them to keep fighting.

Tuesday and Wednesday will mark a “Teachout in Solidarity with Striking Workers” from 10a.m. until 3p.m. at the Oak Street Cinema, 309 Oak Street SE. In addition, 154 classes representing 4500 students will be held off campus on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Sept. 11 is Teamster Tuesday on the picket lines. U of M Teamster members are encouraged to join striking AFSCME workers on the picket lines during their non-working hours. Expressions of support as well as donations to the U of M AFSCME support fund continue to pour in from throughout the country.

On Friday, in a letter addressed to President Bruininks and the Board of Regents, state Representatives Tom Rukavina, chair of the House Higher Education Finance Committee and Mary Murphy, Chair of the House Education Finance Committee wrote in part, “It is sad that we have to write this letter. We are deeply disappointed that thousands of University employees have been forced onto the picket lines due to the unwillingness of the University administration to provide adequate contact settlements for its clerical, technical and health care workers. For the first time in many years, the Minnesota Legislature provided the University with a generous 3.25% salary supplement. We expected those funds to be used to benefit all University employees. We can’t understand how you can justify your minuscule offer of 2.25% on the salary schedule for your hard working, dedicated employees.”

In a separate letter, Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Speaker of the Minnesota House wrote, “During the 2007 legislative session, the legislature appropriated funds to the University of Minnesota after lengthy committee discussion with the implicit intent of a reasonable salary supplement to improve the standard of living of workers facing inflationary pressures. Frontline workers at the University of Minnesota deserve respect and a fair contract. I encourage you to bring your negotiators back to the table with additional resources and to find a compromise that honors those workers that serve the University of Minnesota, its students and the public”

AFSCME Local 3800 President, Phyllis Walker said, “Our strike is having a tremendous impact on the University of Minnesota. Student services are impacted and faculty and administrators are being forced to answer phones and make copies instead of teaching and planning. The State legislature allocated enough money to the University for a reasonable salary settlement. We call on the administration to be good stewards of the public trust and come to the bargaining table today with a fair offer. AFSCME is ready to get back to the work of education. We hope the U administration is ready to do the same.”

Banner: Standing up for our standard of living.

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCME3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #AlFranken #RepMargaretAndersonKelliher #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/strikeday6 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:25:18 +0000 Minnesota: AFSCME strikers rally at Board of Regents meeting https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikeregents?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[AFSCME picketers with "on strike" signs") 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. !--more-- 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. Students and community membersBoard of Regents meeting.") SDS banner: "Wages Not War.") #MinneapolisMN #StudentMovement #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #UniversityOfMinnesotaRegents #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> AFSCME picketers with "on strike" signs

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.

Students and community membersBoard of Regents meeting.

SDS banner: "Wages Not War.

#MinneapolisMN #StudentMovement #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #UniversityOfMinnesotaRegents #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikeregents Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:17:21 +0000 Minnesota: University AFSCME strike shakes campus https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikeday1?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Thousands rally in support Minneapolis, MN - Amid cheering striking workers, students and faculty, Elizabeth Edwards, wife of presidential candidate John Edwards, spoke in support of University of Minnesota clerical, technical and health care workers, Sept. 5. The rally was one of the high points in the first day of the strike. !--more-- Edwards was followed by SEIU Local 26 president Javier Morrello. Joe Rofler, president of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees spoke and donated $5000 to the U of M Workers Support fund. AFSCME Council 5 pledged the support of tens of thousands of AFSCME members in Minnesota. Additional messages of solidarity were received from AFA, ATU 1005 and Teamsters Local 120. A group of teamsters carried a banner reading, “Rank and file teamsters support AFSCME strike.” Al Franken visited picket lines around campus this morning accompanied by ‘Stuart Smalley’ who offered strikers the to join him in the affirmation, “I’m good enough, I’m strong enough and gosh darn it I deserve a fair contract.” In addition many members of the campus community attended the rally including professors, civil service staff and students. The enthusiastic support was welcomed by strikers. One striking worker said, “All of this support is tremendously powerful, it helps keep me strong on the picket line. I want people to understand why I am on strike, I am not striking to buy a Lexus, I am striking to be able to survive.” The strike is having a tremendous impact all over campus. Just a few examples are: Veterinary Medicine – St. Paul Campus: The Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Clinics are virtually shut down and are only accepting emergent patients. At least 50% of the University of Minnesota’s veterinary technicians walked off work today, leaving some 15 specialty clinics and the animal hospital open only for emergency calls. Clinic appointments scheduled through the week of Sept. 17 have been canceled due to the lack of technicians to provide care. Inexperienced students are being asked to take over technical responsibilities. School of Dentistry – East Bank Minneapolis Campus: The school of dentistry clinics were reduced to one floor of clinics. Without AFSCME Local 3260 dental assistants, lab technicians and dental hygienists, two floors of dental clinics in Moos Tower have consolidated to one floor. Healthcare employees interview patients and assist teeth cleaning, as well as fabricate dentures and crowns. Bursar’s Offices - West Bank Minneapolis Campus and St. Paul Campus: With the absence of AFSMCE clerical workers, the Bursar's offices on the West bank and St. Paul areas are closed for the duration of the strike. Anderson and Wilson Libraries - West Bank Minneapolis Campus Anderson Library is cleared of technical and clerical workers. Anderson holds eight special collections and archives units and is the central office of the MINITEX Library Information Network. Staff at Wilson Library, the main West Bank library, is significantly reduced. No books leave a U of M Library without touching an AFSMCE worker. 911 Dispatchers - Twin Cities Campus: Without AFSCME police dispatchers, University of Minnesota police cannot handle the computerized dispatch system. Minneapolis dispatchers are also AFSCME and are handling 911 calls for the U of M only. Normal dispatch operations cannot be fulfilled. Facilities Management - Twin Cities Campus The facilities management emergency call center is cleared of employees. The call center answers problems with building maintenance such as elevator malfunctions and electricity failures. #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #AlFranken #ElizabethEdwards #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Thousands rally in support

Minneapolis, MN – Amid cheering striking workers, students and faculty, Elizabeth Edwards, wife of presidential candidate John Edwards, spoke in support of University of Minnesota clerical, technical and health care workers, Sept. 5. The rally was one of the high points in the first day of the strike.

Edwards was followed by SEIU Local 26 president Javier Morrello. Joe Rofler, president of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees spoke and donated $5000 to the U of M Workers Support fund.

AFSCME Council 5 pledged the support of tens of thousands of AFSCME members in Minnesota. Additional messages of solidarity were received from AFA, ATU 1005 and Teamsters Local 120. A group of teamsters carried a banner reading, “Rank and file teamsters support AFSCME strike.”

Al Franken visited picket lines around campus this morning accompanied by ‘Stuart Smalley’ who offered strikers the to join him in the affirmation, “I’m good enough, I’m strong enough and gosh darn it I deserve a fair contract.”

In addition many members of the campus community attended the rally including professors, civil service staff and students. The enthusiastic support was welcomed by strikers. One striking worker said, “All of this support is tremendously powerful, it helps keep me strong on the picket line. I want people to understand why I am on strike, I am not striking to buy a Lexus, I am striking to be able to survive.”

The strike is having a tremendous impact all over campus. Just a few examples are:

Veterinary Medicine – St. Paul Campus:

The Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Clinics are virtually shut down and are only accepting emergent patients. At least 50% of the University of Minnesota’s veterinary technicians walked off work today, leaving some 15 specialty clinics and the animal hospital open only for emergency calls. Clinic appointments scheduled through the week of Sept. 17 have been canceled due to the lack of technicians to provide care. Inexperienced students are being asked to take over technical responsibilities.

School of Dentistry – East Bank Minneapolis Campus:

The school of dentistry clinics were reduced to one floor of clinics. Without AFSCME Local 3260 dental assistants, lab technicians and dental hygienists, two floors of dental clinics in Moos Tower have consolidated to one floor. Healthcare employees interview patients and assist teeth cleaning, as well as fabricate dentures and crowns.

Bursar’s Offices – West Bank Minneapolis Campus and St. Paul Campus:

With the absence of AFSMCE clerical workers, the Bursar's offices on the West bank and St. Paul areas are closed for the duration of the strike.

Anderson and Wilson Libraries – West Bank Minneapolis Campus

Anderson Library is cleared of technical and clerical workers. Anderson holds eight special collections and archives units and is the central office of the MINITEX Library Information Network. Staff at Wilson Library, the main West Bank library, is significantly reduced. No books leave a U of M Library without touching an AFSMCE worker.

911 Dispatchers – Twin Cities Campus:

Without AFSCME police dispatchers, University of Minnesota police cannot handle the computerized dispatch system. Minneapolis dispatchers are also AFSCME and are handling 911 calls for the U of M only. Normal dispatch operations cannot be fulfilled.

Facilities Management – Twin Cities Campus

The facilities management emergency call center is cleared of employees. The call center answers problems with building maintenance such as elevator malfunctions and electricity failures.

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #AlFranken #ElizabethEdwards #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikeday1 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:09:34 +0000 Minnesota: University workers set to strike for economic justice https://fightbacknews.org/uofmlaborday?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Two AFSCME leaders addressing Labor Day Rally., President of AFSCME Local 3800, and Barb Bezat \(left\), President of Local 3937, spoke at the Labor Day press conference announcing U of M workers' plan to strike on September 5. \(Fight Back! News\)") St Paul, MN - At a Labor Day press conference, University of Minnesota AFSCME leaders blasted attempts by the employer to inflict a lousy contract on university workers. AFSCME workers then marched in the Saint Paul Area Trades and Labor Assembly Labor Day parade to raise awareness of the economic injustice at the University of Minnesota. !--more-- AFSCME is in stalled contract negotiations with the university. A strike date has been set for Sept. 5. The University of Minnesota administration has put only a 2.25% general wage adjustment on the table for most AFSCME workers. The administration has attempted to spin this as a 4.25% increase by adding in step increases - which are not received by all workers and do not impact the starting salaries of future workers. Phyllis Walker, president of Local 3800 said, “The University can try to play fuzzy math all they want, but it doesn’t change the facts. Someone starting a new job at the University today makes 5% less after inflation than someone who started in 2003. Our strike is not just about fair wages for ourselves, it’s an issue of economic justice for all workers in Minnesota. The University explains its salary decisions by saying it follows the market. As the third largest employer in this state, the University has the power to set the market, and they have systematically worked to push wages down for frontline workers. We are standing up for our standard of living.” Jody Ebert, member of AFSCME 3937 and a university alumna stated, “I went to the fair yesterday and brought with me, 'I Support U of M Workers' buttons. Anyone who commented on the button got one. I was out of them in the first 30 minutes! Everyone I talked to supported us in our effort to get a fair wage increase. When workers are denied a livable wage, the economy suffers." Clerical worker Sandi Sherman made the point, "For me it's a question of dignity. The University of Minnesota administration has shown disrespect to workers organized by AFSCME since they decided to form unions. This contract offer is just the latest slap in the face, and I for one feel that I have no choice but to stand up and say this is unacceptable." Cherrene Horazuk, AFSCME 3800 vice-president said, "Working people around the country have seen their wages fall in relation to inflation while corporate executives reap huge salaries and bonuses off the backs of their employees. President Bruininks and senior administrators now want to implement this system of haves and have-nots at the U of M. This is a public institution, and our taxes should not be used to enrich a few administrators while impoverishing frontline workers." #StPaulMN #SaintPaulMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCME3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Two AFSCME leaders addressing Labor Day Rally.

St Paul, MN – At a Labor Day press conference, University of Minnesota AFSCME leaders blasted attempts by the employer to inflict a lousy contract on university workers. AFSCME workers then marched in the Saint Paul Area Trades and Labor Assembly Labor Day parade to raise awareness of the economic injustice at the University of Minnesota.

AFSCME is in stalled contract negotiations with the university. A strike date has been set for Sept. 5. The University of Minnesota administration has put only a 2.25% general wage adjustment on the table for most AFSCME workers. The administration has attempted to spin this as a 4.25% increase by adding in step increases – which are not received by all workers and do not impact the starting salaries of future workers.

Phyllis Walker, president of Local 3800 said, “The University can try to play fuzzy math all they want, but it doesn’t change the facts. Someone starting a new job at the University today makes 5% less after inflation than someone who started in 2003. Our strike is not just about fair wages for ourselves, it’s an issue of economic justice for all workers in Minnesota. The University explains its salary decisions by saying it follows the market. As the third largest employer in this state, the University has the power to set the market, and they have systematically worked to push wages down for frontline workers. We are standing up for our standard of living.”

Jody Ebert, member of AFSCME 3937 and a university alumna stated, “I went to the fair yesterday and brought with me, 'I Support U of M Workers' buttons. Anyone who commented on the button got one. I was out of them in the first 30 minutes! Everyone I talked to supported us in our effort to get a fair wage increase. When workers are denied a livable wage, the economy suffers.”

Clerical worker Sandi Sherman made the point, “For me it's a question of dignity. The University of Minnesota administration has shown disrespect to workers organized by AFSCME since they decided to form unions. This contract offer is just the latest slap in the face, and I for one feel that I have no choice but to stand up and say this is unacceptable.”

Cherrene Horazuk, AFSCME 3800 vice-president said, “Working people around the country have seen their wages fall in relation to inflation while corporate executives reap huge salaries and bonuses off the backs of their employees. President Bruininks and senior administrators now want to implement this system of haves and have-nots at the U of M. This is a public institution, and our taxes should not be used to enrich a few administrators while impoverishing frontline workers.”

#StPaulMN #SaintPaulMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCME3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmlaborday Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:04:02 +0000 Hundreds Rally in Support of a Fair Contract for University of Minnesota Workers https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrike30aug?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Minneapolis, MN - 300 union and community members rallied here, Aug. 30, supporting of University of Minnesota AFSCME workers. The workers are planning to strike Sept. 5. The rally showed enthusiastic support for AFSCME workers from students, faculty, elected officials, other unions and community organizations. !--more-- Phyllis Walker, AFSCME 3800 president and a rally speaker said, “Every public employer in the state of Minnesota gave workers at least 3.25% plus steps in their current contract. Some gave 3.5%. The fact is we need more than that just to catch up from the backward slide in the last two contracts. Why does the university think it can accept a 12% funding increase from the people of Minnesota while continuing to push front-line staff into economic hardship?” Gary Schiff, Minneapolis City Council Ward 9, spoke at the rally and said, “I am proud to be a former member of AFSCME Local 3800 and I stand with you. By standing together you are standing up for economic justice for all workers and I applaud you.” In a written statement to rally participants, State Senator Sandra Pappas wrote, “It is crucial to the success of the University to maintain and attract quality employees by providing a competitive wage. It is a disappointing fact that employees who are hired today make less (in real wages) than an employee who started five years ago. Not only is this wage increase important now, but it is also important to future living wage jobs at the university.” State Senator Patricia Torres-Ray echoed those sentiments and added, “I support you here and I support you in the senate. I will ask the tough questions when the university comes to the legislature this session. We fund education to invest in our children but we understand that we are also investing in the livelihoods of workers who help make that education possible.” Contract negotiations between U of M AFSCME and the university administration broke down for the second time yesterday afternoon. In an effort to send a message that they were serious about coming to a settlement agreement, U of M AFSCME reduced their wage proposal by 3%. University management responded with no movement from their Aug. 10 offer of 2.25% for clerical workers and 2.5% for health care workers. The University proposed a possible one-time lump sum payment for workers at the top of the range. Since lump sum payments do nothing to impact a worker’s overall standard of living, negotiations were finished by noon. There are no further negotiations scheduled before the Sept. 5 strike date. #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Minneapolis, MN – 300 union and community members rallied here, Aug. 30, supporting of University of Minnesota AFSCME workers. The workers are planning to strike Sept. 5. The rally showed enthusiastic support for AFSCME workers from students, faculty, elected officials, other unions and community organizations.

Phyllis Walker, AFSCME 3800 president and a rally speaker said, “Every public employer in the state of Minnesota gave workers at least 3.25% plus steps in their current contract. Some gave 3.5%. The fact is we need more than that just to catch up from the backward slide in the last two contracts. Why does the university think it can accept a 12% funding increase from the people of Minnesota while continuing to push front-line staff into economic hardship?”

Gary Schiff, Minneapolis City Council Ward 9, spoke at the rally and said, “I am proud to be a former member of AFSCME Local 3800 and I stand with you. By standing together you are standing up for economic justice for all workers and I applaud you.”

In a written statement to rally participants, State Senator Sandra Pappas wrote, “It is crucial to the success of the University to maintain and attract quality employees by providing a competitive wage. It is a disappointing fact that employees who are hired today make less (in real wages) than an employee who started five years ago. Not only is this wage increase important now, but it is also important to future living wage jobs at the university.”

State Senator Patricia Torres-Ray echoed those sentiments and added, “I support you here and I support you in the senate. I will ask the tough questions when the university comes to the legislature this session. We fund education to invest in our children but we understand that we are also investing in the livelihoods of workers who help make that education possible.”

Contract negotiations between U of M AFSCME and the university administration broke down for the second time yesterday afternoon. In an effort to send a message that they were serious about coming to a settlement agreement, U of M AFSCME reduced their wage proposal by 3%. University management responded with no movement from their Aug. 10 offer of 2.25% for clerical workers and 2.5% for health care workers. The University proposed a possible one-time lump sum payment for workers at the top of the range. Since lump sum payments do nothing to impact a worker’s overall standard of living, negotiations were finished by noon. There are no further negotiations scheduled before the Sept. 5 strike date.

#MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrike30aug Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:54:02 +0000 Minnesota: U of M says no more money for workers - strike set for Sept. 5 https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrike29aug?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Minneapolis, MN - Last week the University of Minnesota AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) heard from 72% of its members that the Aug. 10 offer of 2.25% and 2.5% were not acceptable wage proposals. They rejected this offer and voted to authorize a strike. !--more-- U of M AFSCME came to the table Aug. 29 and made major moves on the wage proposals. Phyllis Walker, President of AFSCME 3800 and negotiating committee member said, "The university responded to our opening proposal with no change in their proposal whatsoever. Their offer remains at 2.25% for clerical and technical employees and 2.5% for healthcare employees. They tell us that there is no more money to put on the table for AFSCME employees. Over the course of our negotiations we have been consistent in our message to the university that AFSCME employees need to make up for years of decreasing job value. Our wages have not kept up with inflation." Barb Bezat, President of AFSCME 3937 and negotiating committee member added, "We know that it takes only $1.1 million for each percentage increase for our members. This is out of an overall operating budget of close to $1.5 billion. The U of M AFSCME Joint Negotiations Committee cannot in good conscience ask members to accept this non-proposal." Greg Knoblauch, a technical worker at the university and negotiating committee member, added, "Two days ago university spokesman Dan Wolter said, 'This strike is completely avoidable, and the university is ready and willing to continue discussions with the union to prevent one.' Coming to the negotiating table with nothing to offer is not continuing discussions. It is an insult to all 3500 AFSCME employees at the university." Rhonda Jennen, President of the AFSCME 3260 and negotiating committee member, said, "We're not asking for money to support luxury lifestyles. We're standing up for a standard of living which allows us to pay our mortgages, feed our kids and heat our homes." #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Minneapolis, MN – Last week the University of Minnesota AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) heard from 72% of its members that the Aug. 10 offer of 2.25% and 2.5% were not acceptable wage proposals. They rejected this offer and voted to authorize a strike.

U of M AFSCME came to the table Aug. 29 and made major moves on the wage proposals.

Phyllis Walker, President of AFSCME 3800 and negotiating committee member said, “The university responded to our opening proposal with no change in their proposal whatsoever. Their offer remains at 2.25% for clerical and technical employees and 2.5% for healthcare employees. They tell us that there is no more money to put on the table for AFSCME employees. Over the course of our negotiations we have been consistent in our message to the university that AFSCME employees need to make up for years of decreasing job value. Our wages have not kept up with inflation.”

Barb Bezat, President of AFSCME 3937 and negotiating committee member added, “We know that it takes only $1.1 million for each percentage increase for our members. This is out of an overall operating budget of close to $1.5 billion. The U of M AFSCME Joint Negotiations Committee cannot in good conscience ask members to accept this non-proposal.”

Greg Knoblauch, a technical worker at the university and negotiating committee member, added, “Two days ago university spokesman Dan Wolter said, 'This strike is completely avoidable, and the university is ready and willing to continue discussions with the union to prevent one.' Coming to the negotiating table with nothing to offer is not continuing discussions. It is an insult to all 3500 AFSCME employees at the university.”

Rhonda Jennen, President of the AFSCME 3260 and negotiating committee member, said, “We're not asking for money to support luxury lifestyles. We're standing up for a standard of living which allows us to pay our mortgages, feed our kids and heat our homes.”

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #AFSCMELocal3937 #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrike29aug Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:51:02 +0000 U of MN AFSCME Returns to Negotiating Table, Strike Set for September 5 https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikesep5?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Minneapolis, MN - The Bureau of Mediation Services has ordered the University of Minnesota AFSCME's strike date to be Sept. 5, instead of Sept. 4, the date the union expected. The mediator has called both parties back to the mediation table tomorrow, Aug. 29. !--more-- Barb Bezat, president Local 3937 said, "It is our hope that the University will come to the table ready to negotiate a settlement that we can all live with. Our goal is to get a settlement, but if the University continues to short change us, our members have told us in no uncertain terms by their 72% reject and strike vote that they are ready and willing to strike. The ball is in the University's court." Every public employer in the state of Minnesota has put at least 3.25% - plus step increases - on the negotiating table. The University received a budget allocation from the state legislature of 3.25% for each employee at the university plus an additional salary supplement that many other employers did not receive. The University has refused to put more than 2.25% on the table for clerical, technical and health care staff. Phyllis Walker added, "In 2003 they asked us to ‘share the pain’ and our salaries were frozen. In 2005 they offered what they called a ‘fair and equitable’ settlement and our positions lost value. Now we are in a situation where the university has money and they are refusing to give it to us. I suspect they feel the need to add a few more $250,000-a-year vice-president positions. It is a question of economic justice. The University is creating two classes, one that is valued with money and the other valued only in words." The unions have been organizing in the workplace and have set up a strike headquarters. In addition there is a very active Community Support Committee. Jess Sundin, committee chair said, "The response from the university community has been tremendously encouraging. Students and professors understand that this is an issue of economic justice and respect. They understand that employees such as secretaries, veterinary technicians and medical assistants are the backbone of the institution and allow teaching and research to happen." #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Minneapolis, MN – The Bureau of Mediation Services has ordered the University of Minnesota AFSCME's strike date to be Sept. 5, instead of Sept. 4, the date the union expected. The mediator has called both parties back to the mediation table tomorrow, Aug. 29.

Barb Bezat, president Local 3937 said, “It is our hope that the University will come to the table ready to negotiate a settlement that we can all live with. Our goal is to get a settlement, but if the University continues to short change us, our members have told us in no uncertain terms by their 72% reject and strike vote that they are ready and willing to strike. The ball is in the University's court.”

Every public employer in the state of Minnesota has put at least 3.25% – plus step increases – on the negotiating table. The University received a budget allocation from the state legislature of 3.25% for each employee at the university plus an additional salary supplement that many other employers did not receive. The University has refused to put more than 2.25% on the table for clerical, technical and health care staff.

Phyllis Walker added, “In 2003 they asked us to ‘share the pain’ and our salaries were frozen. In 2005 they offered what they called a ‘fair and equitable’ settlement and our positions lost value. Now we are in a situation where the university has money and they are refusing to give it to us. I suspect they feel the need to add a few more $250,000-a-year vice-president positions. It is a question of economic justice. The University is creating two classes, one that is valued with money and the other valued only in words.”

The unions have been organizing in the workplace and have set up a strike headquarters. In addition there is a very active Community Support Committee. Jess Sundin, committee chair said, “The response from the university community has been tremendously encouraging. Students and professors understand that this is an issue of economic justice and respect. They understand that employees such as secretaries, veterinary technicians and medical assistants are the backbone of the institution and allow teaching and research to happen.”

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikesep5 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:42:48 +0000 U of M unions preparing for possible strike on first day of classes https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikevote?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[women on bullhorn") Minneapolis, MN – Four union locals representing over 3,500 workers at the University of Minnesota are preparing for a strike on the first day of classes for a decent wage increase. On August 10th, the union negotiating committee unanimously recommended that workers reject the U administration’s contract offer and authorize a strike. !--more-- According to Cherrene Horazuk, a U of M clerical worker and co-chair of the union negotiating committee, the unions are mobilizing for a quick strike vote to prepare for a strike on the first day of classes on September 4. Horazuk said, “A strike on the first day of classes gives us the maximum impact to pressure the University.” The unions have waged a campaign for the past few months to win a decent wage increase, talking to hundreds of union members in lunch time meetings. From August 1 through 9, members of U of M AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) organized a series of protests all over the sprawling U of M campus. They demanded a wage increase to catch up to the rate of inflation. The union members’ salaries have lost about 5% of their value compared to inflation since 2002. Meanwhile, the University president’s salary has gained almost 80% in value above the rate of inflation, and all other high-end administrators have also gained salary increases well over the rate of inflation. The union rallies featured a huge inflatable rat, which the workers dubbed the “inflation rat.” According to Krista Gallagher, a U of M technical worker and AFSCME negotiating committee member, “Our wages keep losing ground to inflation. Our small wage increases have been eaten away by the inflation rate and other cost increases, so this year we brought out the inflation rat to show everyone what we’re dealing with.” The 12-foot tall rat created a stir wherever union members brought it out. The week of rallies culminated on August 8th in a rally at the administration building, Morrill Hall. After rallying outside, dozens of workers marched into Morrill to deliver hundreds of petitions to U of M President Bruininks, demanding a real wage increase. According to Kelly Ryan, a clerical worker and U of M AFSCME negotiating committee member, “Bruininks wouldn’t come out to meet with us, but we made our voices heard loud and clear. It was powerful for so many workers to march inside to Bruininks’ office.” After the week of rallies, the U of M AFSCME negotiating committee returned to negotiations on August 9 and 10. On the first morning back in negotiations, the union mobilized rank-and-file members to protest management outside the building where they were meeting. They also brought out the inflation rat one more time. According to Horazuk, “After being in negotiations more than two months, we went late into the night two days in a row to try to reach an agreement. But management wasn’t ready to take us seriously and give us a decent wage increase. Now we’re going back to the workplace to organize strike training meetings and prepare our members to vote to authorize a strike.” Greg Knoblauch, a Veterinary Technician at the U and a member of the AFSCME negotiating committee, did the research that showed how union members’ wages have lost ground as top administrators have made huge salary increases. His research laid the basis for the Union’s “standard of living” campaign. In this campaign the workers are demanding that U of M management reverse the trend of low-paid workers falling behind inflation while top administrators continue to get larger and larger increases. According to Knoblauch, “We need an eight percent across-the-board wage increase the first year and a four percent across-the-board increase in the second year of the contract for our jobs to catch up to the value they had in 1994. Eight percent to catch up and four percent to keep up. That’s what we need, and that’s what we’re fighting for. Management’s proposal falls far short of what U workers need and are asking for.” In addition to a quick blitz to prepare union members for a strike the first day of classes, community, labor and student support is swinging into gear as well. A Strike Support Committee website has been set up at www.uworkers.org. Community, labor and student support was important in the U of M AFSCME clerical workers’ strike in 2003. This support included many sizable donations to the strike hardship fund from other unions, and members of other unions walking the U of M strike picket lines. In 2003, students also organized a 3-day sit-in in the administration building in support of the clerical workers’ demands. According to Phyllis Walker, President of AFSCME Local 3800 and negotiating committee member, “We can’t keep losing ground. U of M clerical workers went on strike for two weeks in 2003 to stop take-backs. This year clerical, technical and health care workers are preparing for a possible strike together if management doesn’t put out some real money for its lowest paid workers. If management doesn’t take us seriously, we’re on a timeline that could lead to a strike during the first week of classes. We’ll also mobilize broad community and student support again. They won’t know what hit them.” Giant inflatable rat") Marching up stairwell to UM presidents office.Sign:We're worth more.") P Walker speaking with tons of "On Strike" signs in background") #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> women on bullhorn

Minneapolis, MN – Four union locals representing over 3,500 workers at the University of Minnesota are preparing for a strike on the first day of classes for a decent wage increase. On August 10th, the union negotiating committee unanimously recommended that workers reject the U administration’s contract offer and authorize a strike.

According to Cherrene Horazuk, a U of M clerical worker and co-chair of the union negotiating committee, the unions are mobilizing for a quick strike vote to prepare for a strike on the first day of classes on September 4. Horazuk said, “A strike on the first day of classes gives us the maximum impact to pressure the University.”

The unions have waged a campaign for the past few months to win a decent wage increase, talking to hundreds of union members in lunch time meetings. From August 1 through 9, members of U of M AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) organized a series of protests all over the sprawling U of M campus. They demanded a wage increase to catch up to the rate of inflation. The union members’ salaries have lost about 5% of their value compared to inflation since 2002. Meanwhile, the University president’s salary has gained almost 80% in value above the rate of inflation, and all other high-end administrators have also gained salary increases well over the rate of inflation.

The union rallies featured a huge inflatable rat, which the workers dubbed the “inflation rat.” According to Krista Gallagher, a U of M technical worker and AFSCME negotiating committee member, “Our wages keep losing ground to inflation. Our small wage increases have been eaten away by the inflation rate and other cost increases, so this year we brought out the inflation rat to show everyone what we’re dealing with.” The 12-foot tall rat created a stir wherever union members brought it out.

The week of rallies culminated on August 8th in a rally at the administration building, Morrill Hall. After rallying outside, dozens of workers marched into Morrill to deliver hundreds of petitions to U of M President Bruininks, demanding a real wage increase. According to Kelly Ryan, a clerical worker and U of M AFSCME negotiating committee member, “Bruininks wouldn’t come out to meet with us, but we made our voices heard loud and clear. It was powerful for so many workers to march inside to Bruininks’ office.”

After the week of rallies, the U of M AFSCME negotiating committee returned to negotiations on August 9 and 10. On the first morning back in negotiations, the union mobilized rank-and-file members to protest management outside the building where they were meeting. They also brought out the inflation rat one more time.

According to Horazuk, “After being in negotiations more than two months, we went late into the night two days in a row to try to reach an agreement. But management wasn’t ready to take us seriously and give us a decent wage increase. Now we’re going back to the workplace to organize strike training meetings and prepare our members to vote to authorize a strike.”

Greg Knoblauch, a Veterinary Technician at the U and a member of the AFSCME negotiating committee, did the research that showed how union members’ wages have lost ground as top administrators have made huge salary increases. His research laid the basis for the Union’s “standard of living” campaign. In this campaign the workers are demanding that U of M management reverse the trend of low-paid workers falling behind inflation while top administrators continue to get larger and larger increases. According to Knoblauch, “We need an eight percent across-the-board wage increase the first year and a four percent across-the-board increase in the second year of the contract for our jobs to catch up to the value they had in 1994. Eight percent to catch up and four percent to keep up. That’s what we need, and that’s what we’re fighting for. Management’s proposal falls far short of what U workers need and are asking for.”

In addition to a quick blitz to prepare union members for a strike the first day of classes, community, labor and student support is swinging into gear as well. A Strike Support Committee website has been set up at www.uworkers.org.

Community, labor and student support was important in the U of M AFSCME clerical workers’ strike in 2003. This support included many sizable donations to the strike hardship fund from other unions, and members of other unions walking the U of M strike picket lines. In 2003, students also organized a 3-day sit-in in the administration building in support of the clerical workers’ demands.

According to Phyllis Walker, President of AFSCME Local 3800 and negotiating committee member, “We can’t keep losing ground. U of M clerical workers went on strike for two weeks in 2003 to stop take-backs. This year clerical, technical and health care workers are preparing for a possible strike together if management doesn’t put out some real money for its lowest paid workers. If management doesn’t take us seriously, we’re on a timeline that could lead to a strike during the first week of classes. We’ll also mobilize broad community and student support again. They won’t know what hit them.”

Giant inflatable rat

Marching up stairwell to UM presidents office.Sign:We're worth more.

P Walker speaking with tons of "On Strike" signs in background

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmstrikevote Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:34:09 +0000 U of M Workers Standing Up for Standard of Living https://fightbacknews.org/uofmworkers-p6dn?pk_campaign=rss-feed <![CDATA[Minneapolis, MN - Workers at the University of Minnesota are fighting for a wage increase. On June 13, members of U of M AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) packed the room and testified at the University on Minnesota Board of Regents public hearing on the budget. They told the regents that union members’ salaries have lost about 5% of their value compared to inflation since 1994. Meanwhile, the university president’s salary has gained almost 80% in value above the rate of inflation, and all other high-end administrators have also gained salary increases well over the rate of inflation. !--more-- AFSCME members and supporters then rallied on June 27 outside the Board of Regents meeting where the budget was voted on. They demanded that the regents allocate money for a serious wage increase for clerical, technical and health care workers, to reverse the trend of low-paid workers falling behind inflation while top administrators continue to get larger and larger increases. Members of AFSCME began contract negotiations in late May. Clerical, technical and health care workers at the university are negotiating together in a unified negotiating committee for the first time. This unity is also visible in the workplace, where hundreds of workers from the various unions have come together in a series of lunchtime meetings to hear the union’s presentation on wage disparity at the University and to organize to change the situation. #TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #BoardOfRegents #Strikes div id="sharingbuttons.io"/div]]> Minneapolis, MN – Workers at the University of Minnesota are fighting for a wage increase. On June 13, members of U of M AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) packed the room and testified at the University on Minnesota Board of Regents public hearing on the budget. They told the regents that union members’ salaries have lost about 5% of their value compared to inflation since 1994. Meanwhile, the university president’s salary has gained almost 80% in value above the rate of inflation, and all other high-end administrators have also gained salary increases well over the rate of inflation.

AFSCME members and supporters then rallied on June 27 outside the Board of Regents meeting where the budget was voted on. They demanded that the regents allocate money for a serious wage increase for clerical, technical and health care workers, to reverse the trend of low-paid workers falling behind inflation while top administrators continue to get larger and larger increases.

Members of AFSCME began contract negotiations in late May. Clerical, technical and health care workers at the university are negotiating together in a unified negotiating committee for the first time. This unity is also visible in the workplace, where hundreds of workers from the various unions have come together in a series of lunchtime meetings to hear the union’s presentation on wage disparity at the University and to organize to change the situation.

#TwinCitiesMN #MinneapolisMN #News #UniversityOfMinnesotaStrike2007 #AFSCMELocal3800 #BoardOfRegents #Strikes

]]> https://fightbacknews.org/uofmworkers-p6dn Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:28:47 +0000