Minneapolis, MN – On Thursday, June 27, 25 workers gathered to hear a panel of rank-and-file union members share their experience of bringing Palestine solidarity to the workplace, followed by practical discussions of how attendees can take action to support the Palestine struggle for liberation on the shop floor.

Co-emcees David Gilbert-Pederson, a longtime labor organizer and member of Minnesota Workers United, and Meredith Aby-Keirsted, a union educator and leader in the anti-war movement in the Twin Cities, introduced the lineup of panelists, who included Anthony Taylor-Gouge, a former member of UFCW 663 and organizer with AFSCME 3800 at the University of Minnesota; Natasha Dockter, first vice-president of MFT Local 59, and Revmira, a member of Starbucks Workers United.

“In my view, there are three kinds of organizing in the workplace: institutional, relational and personal,” said Dockter. Institutional organizing, she described, included the passage of a Pro-Palestine resolution shortly after October 7. The resolution angered Zionist groups, which aggressively lobbied union members to vote to repeal the resolution and release a counter-statement condemning the Palestinian resistance. The vote to repeal the Pro-Palestine statement failed. However, a counter-statement was passed.

“We learned from this experience, we needed to do more relational organizing to mobilize union members to vote against the counter statement. One-on-one conversations in the workplace are critical,” stated Dockter.

Members of MFT Local 59 have their pensions managed by the Minnesota State Board of Investments (SBI), which invests public sector union workers pensions in companies complicit in Israeli apartheid and genocide, as well as direct Israel bonds. Members of the local have been mobilized to speak at SBI meetings to demand divestment from Israel, “I don’t know of a single teacher that wants their money being used to kill and harm children and families. We do our jobs because we care about kids, and not just our own,” said Dockter.

A barista and member of Starbucks Workers United spoke about the contradicting realities within their workplace, stating, “The majority of our co-workers are very progressive, and very pro-Palestine,” the Starbucks corporation, however ,is one of the highest profile boycott targets for their support of the Israeli occupation. Starbucks Workers United faces legal barriers to supporting the boycott, but they were able to pass a pro-Palestine resolution, and many wear legally protected union pins displaying the Palestinian flag.

Not all unions or labor organizations release statements or take similar institutional steps. Anthony Taylor-Gouge worked at Seward Co-op in South Minneapolis for eight years and was an organizer with UFCW Local 663. During his time there, only weeks before October 7, the workers at Seward Co-op had the highest strike authorization vote percentage in local UFCW history, they won a contract the next day.

Taylor-Gouge described how this militant environment was very useful once the Palestine solidarity movement took off. Workers at Seward Co-op wore Pro-Palestine union pins, drawing criticism from their union, as UFCW has broadly not taken a stance against the genocide in Palestine. This contradiction demonstrates the importance of a militant rank and file in a union. There are times when members have to get their union to say no, and fight union bureaucracy when it goes against the wishes of its members.

In the discussion after panelists speeches, attendees were split up into three groups: members of private sector unions, public sector unions, and unorganized workers. Groups discussed how their workplaces and unions have related to Palestine solidarity work and discussed strategies to start or continue to build militant action in their workplace to support the Palestine solidarity movement and Palestinian resistance.

#MinneapolisMN #MNWorkersUnited #UFCW663 #AFSCME3800 #MFT #StarbucksWorkersUnited #Palestine

St. Paul, MN – On February 28, the Minnesota Anti-War Committee organized a protest at the Eastcliff Mansion, where Governor Tim Walz currently resides. On the eve of the Minnesota State Board of Investment (SBI) meeting, a crowd of over 100 people rallied to demand that the Minnesota governor, also the chair of the SBI, divest from apartheid Israel and weapons manufacturers.

Speakers addressed how their specific struggles relate to the state investments in Israeli apartheid. Simultaneously, 14 people participated in civil disobedience on the governor's front lawn to demand that he meet with his constituents and promise to divest.

The Minnesota State Board of Investments has $3.2 billion invested in Israeli entities and corporations complicit in Israeli apartheid. This includes weapons manufacturing companies, pharmaceutical companies, the tourism industry, heavy machinery companies and even investing $25 million in bonds directly into the Zionist state of Israel. Some of these companies, such as Elbit systems and Boeing, make cluster bombs and surveillance technology. Others, such as Caterpillar, produce armored bulldozers that are used to collapse the homes of Palestinians. The Minnesota State Board of Investments has been a political target of the Palestine solidarity movement for years.

Since the issue of funding Israel affects all Minnesota tax-payers, divestment is a unifying demand to organize around. Members of Students for a Democratic Society, AFSCME 3800, FLAGS-JP, American Muslims for Palestine, and MN Immigrant Rights Action Committee spoke at the protest.

Jasper Nordin from Students for a Democratic Society explained, “We refuse any longer to be complicit in Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people! We will not allow you, Tim Walz, to continue to use our money to carry out this slaughter. We will not relent, we will not stop showing up until you listen to the people of Minnesota and you end Minnesota’s complicity in this genocide!”

As the death toll in Gaza increases every single day, the demand to divest from Israel becomes more urgent. Additionally, as the Anti-War Committee and many other organizations have been targeting Governor Walz with no response, they saw a need for more escalation. After the first speaker, , a group of 14 activists jumped the fence and began occupying the lawn of the Eastcliff mansion, risking arrest. The activists were accompanied by bloody child-sized body bags, red poppies, and a large check stating the amount Tim Walz has “made out” to Israel.

As the rally and speeches continued, the activists remained on the lawn, at times getting on the microphone and demanding that Walz “come out and face them,” drawing attention to their demands for the chair of the SBI to divest. Many state troopers and security officers came and stationed themselves right next to the activists, preventing them, some with hostility, from moving closer towards the house.

One of the arrestees, Lina Jebara from the Anti-War Committee stated, “If Governor Walz, the chair of the board, sees issue with anti-apartheid activist sitting in close proximity to his temporary home, perhaps he can find issue with the apartheid regime slaughtering thousands of refugees in their displacement camps. As Israel’s genocidal campaign on the people of Palestine is allowed to escalate, we will also continue to escalate.”

After two-and-a-half very cold hours, the 14 activists were publicly arrested with the support of chants and drums coming from observers and attendees.

The Anti-War Committee showed up to the State Board of Investment meeting the next day and plans to continue a campaign to target the board and demand for divestment from apartheid Israel.

#StPaulMN #AntiWarMovement #International #MiddleEast #Palestine #MNAWC #GovWalz #Divestment #MNSBI #CivilDisobedience #SDS #UMNSDS #MIRAC #FLAGSJP #AFSCME3800 #Feature

Minneapolis, MN – About 150 University of Minnesota AFSCME workers and their supporters joined a noon informational picket, October 10 to demand real raises, respect and racial equity. The action coincided with a meeting of President Joan Gabel and Twin Cities deans. The meeting was set for Walter Library, but the administration attempted to evade the picket, and moved the gathering to Coffman Union. Workers marched to Coffman, held a picket in front of the building and chanting, they marched up to the third floor meeting location.

Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME 3800 states, “We are serious about getting real raises, and we will continue to stand up for our standard of living. The U’s current wage proposal does not keep up with inflation and would amount to a wage cut. We need $3 more per hour.”

Horazuk also expressed solidarity with campus Teamsters who are preparing for a strike.

#MinneapolisMN #AFSCME3800

Minneapolis, MN – AFSCME at the University of Minnesota is holding an informational picket on Monday, October 10, from noon until 2 p.m. at Walter Library on the East Bank campus here. This coincides with a meeting between President Joan Gabel and Twin Cities deans at the same location. They will demand university leadership respond to their demands for raises, respect and racial equity.

Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME 3800 and executive office and administrative specialist at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, said, “AFSCME UMN locals are currently in joint contract negotiations with the U. The university has created a system of haves and have-nots with vast inequities between workers and administration. The U can’t recruit or retain support staff at the current rates of pay. We need our wages raised by $3 an hour. The university’s wage proposal doesn’t even keep up with inflation, and would therefore result in a pay cut for the lowest paid workers at the U.”

Claudia Velsasco, dental assistant and AFSCME 3260 bargaining team member, added, “The university administration lauds their diversity and inclusion efforts, but needs to put their money where their mouth is. They are refusing to give raises to workers who help translate for non-English speaking patients. They are refusing to make Juneteenth a paid holiday, even though they announced their intent to do so two years ago. And they refuse to give our American Indian workers time off to participate in tribal elections, while lauding voter participation rates for state and federal elections.”

Lindsay Knoll, senior research veterinary technician in Research Animal Resources, said, “Along with our Teamster-represented coworkers, we do the behind-the-scenes work that ensures faculty can carry out their important and life changing research. The U’s poverty wages and short staffing have led to higher than average injury rates and challenges in keeping research facilities safe, clean and functional.”

Horazuk added, “The university began bargaining by asking for our assistance in addressing recruitment and retention issues. The solution is easy: pay competitive wages and benefits that move us forward rather than backwards – and put action, not lip service, to issues of equity and diversity.”

As university leaders meet inside Walter Library, unionized staff will be conducting informational picketing outside to demand raises and respect for frontline workers.

#MinneapolisMN #UniversityOfMinnesota #AFSCME3800

At the start of negotiations, the locals’ proposed language was around three key priorities: remote work with a binding appeals process for denied work-from-home requests, advancements on racial and social justice, and recognition for the sacrifices made by essential workers throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Initially the university fought back, refusing to budge on any of the key priorities, in the face of a robust contract campaign which featured several significant actions including marching on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents, a large rally on campus and an informational picket. However, the union members were able to win gains on all of their key priorities.

The union members won raises and step increases coming out to 3.5% in increases including full retro pay back to the date of expiration. They also won two additional personal holiday days to be used between now and June 30. This demand was won as a direct result of the union’s demand for Juneteenth to be a university paid holiday. They also won new committees to address systemic racism and inequities at the university, rights of trans non-binary workers, and to address workplace bullying by supervisors.

One of the main demands throughout bargaining has been around workplace flexibility. The union members won a binding appeals process for any refused work-from-home requests. The union points out that this is of particular important for workers of color, disabled workers and parents who face significantly disparate impacts from rigid scheduling and location policies. Many of these workers have worked successfully from home for 21 months and have demonstrated that it can be done successfully.

The new contract also features $500 lump sums for LPNS and CMAs who have put their lives on the line every day to care for students, staff and faculty during the pandemic.

AFSCME Local 3800 President Cherrene Horazuk had the following to say: “This contract is a start. However, our work is not done. This contract does not represent the full scope of what our workers deserve, and the wage increase in particular fails to recognize rising inflation and the reality of being overworked and undervalued. Still, we fought for, and won enough to take this agreement. We made a decision to accept a one-year agreement in large part so that we can negotiate next year for the wage increases we need and deserve. We are ready to go back to the table in early 2022 to start negotiations for the next contract.” She went on to say, “We are proud to say we stood strong together and forced the U to make changes that would otherwise have gone unrealized. Thank you to all the members who took action by attending a rally, disrupting the Board of Regents meeting, organized to get the word out to co-workers, and advocated for a better contract. We could not have done this without that solidarity.”

The AFSCME University of Minnesota bargaining team is unanimously recommending a yes vote to accept this contract even as they vow to continue the fight for what their workers deserve as they pivot to bargaining their next contract.

#MinneapolisMN #PeoplesStruggles #AFSCME3800

Minneapolis, MN – While the University of Minnesota top officials gathered for the opening of newly renovated Pioneer Hall, August 21, about 50 members of Teamsters Local 320 and other campus unions held an informational picket line to demand the year-round, full-time employment for workers in M Dining. The U of M has curtailed summer work opportunities for Teamsters and is trampling on seniority rights.

Mick Kelly, a member of the negotiating committee for U of M Teamsters told the crowd, “The university is plunging us into poverty, and this is something that we will never put up with. It is unacceptable, and the condition of dining service workers must be addressed in the new contract. We deserve better than this.”

Members of other Teamster locals, along with AFSCME 3800, also participated in the picket.

#Minneapolis #Teamsters #unions #AFSCME3800 #PublicSectorUnions #TeamstersLocal320 #picketLine

On Nov. 19, members of AFSCME 3800 adopted a resolution in support of the Kohler workers and agreed to send them $250 to help their strike.

The resolution reads:

Solidarity with UAW 833 – Kohler Workers on Strike!

Whereas, 2000 Kohler workers in Wisconsin are on strike to win higher pay and an end to the two-tier wage system.

Whereas, as trade unionists we believe in the principles of equal pay for equal work, the right to a living wage, and the power of solidarity.

Whereas, UAW 833 is fighting against a two-tier wage system that betrays future workers and undermines those principles.

Whereas, the strength of UAW 833 is in their unity and determination as evidenced by the fact that 94% of the union's members voted to strike.

Whereas, past struggles of Kohler workers, including the longest major strike in US history, have inspired the labor movement for generations.

Whereas, the current action by UAW 833 will play an important role in the post “right to work” era in Wisconsin, showing labor unions once again how to bring back the fight and win for working people.

Therefore be it resolved, that AFSCME 3800, University of Minnesota Clerical Workers, stands in solidarity with the members of UAW 833 who are on strike for higher pay and an end to the two tier wage system.

Be it further resolved, that AFSCME 3800 encourages its members and members of the broader labor movement to support the strike through donations to the strike fund and participation in strike support activities.

Be it finally resolved, that AFSCME 3800 will encourage AFSCME Council 5, AFSCME International, Minnesota Central Labor Councils of the AFL-CIO, and the MN AFL-CIO, to pass similar resolutions and provide support as needed to the striking union members.

#MinneapolisMN #AFSCME3800 #Strikes #KohlerStrike

Minneapolis, MN – About 300 University of Minnesota (U of M) workers and their supporters gathered on Northrup Plaza, in front of the administration building Sept. 26, to rally for accessible and affordable healthcare. U of M workers are angry about proposed cuts to their health care benefits.

The well-known musician Billy Bragg preformed at the rally.

The U of M administration wants to take $1.8 million a year out of the pockets of U of M workers and put it in the general fund. These take-backs would increase every employee's out of pocket health care costs and punish the lowest paid workers and those with chronic conditions.

Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME Local 3800, the university clerical workers, said, “We are leading the charge in our collective bargaining sessions to stop these changes to our healthcare. We reject the U’s proposal for higher co-pays and deductibles and other cost-shifting schemes. We are also proposing a sliding scale plan that is equitable and doesn't punish the lowest paid workers.”

Barb Bezat, President of AFSCME 3937, the university technical workers, added, “The university admitted last week that its salaries for most staff are not comparable to other institutions. They claim that benefits like healthcare make up for the difference on one hand, while planning to shift more benefit costs to employees.”

#MinneapolisMN #UniversityOfMinnesota #AFSCME3800 #BillyBragg

Minneapolis, MN – Members of AFSCME Local 3800, clerical workers at the University of Minnesota, filled the room here, June 5, testifying at a Board of Regents’ public forum on the university budget. The clerical workers spoke about how they have been impacted by administrative bloat and tuition hikes. Some of the 25 workers laid off last week attended the hearing.

Cherrene Horazuk, President of AFSCME Local 3800, told the regents, “Create a truly world class university that pays all workers a livable wage, not a poverty wage for many and luxury wages for a few. A university that recognizes and respects the work that is done and the people that do it. A university that can’t be called the university of haves and have nots. It’s long past time to chop from the top.”

In her testimony, Melanie Steinman, chief steward of AFSCME Local 3800, condemned the recent layoffs at the U of M.

Chris Getowicz of Students for a Democratic Society also testified, saying “Students overwhelmingly voted for our referendum last semester calling for increased budget transparency, student voice in tuition and fee decision, and a 10% salary cut for the 167 administrators making over $200,000. My tuition dollars should go towards education, not administration.”

#MinneapolisMN #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #BudgetCuts #UniversityOfMinnesota #AFSCME3800 #ChopFromTheTop

Minneapolis, MN – On March 12, the University of Minnesota presented the report it commissioned on its management structure to the Senate Higher Education Committee.

Cherrene Horazuk, President of AFSCME 3800 and a clerical worker in the Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, said of the report, “This confirms what we have been saying for years. The university has a problem with top-heavy management. We see again and again that front line staff who serve students and the community get laid off while upper management positions not only are protected, but are increased along with their salaries.”

The report uses two models for analyzing four departments handpicked by university administration. The benchmarking used by one of the models (Bain and Company) states that there should be six to seven direct reports per supervisor for expertise-based functions and eleven to thirteen direct reports for task-based functions. The U of M falls grossly below this standard, with the average manager in three of these departments (Procurement, Finance, Human Resources) supervising five people or fewer. The other model (Sibson) paints a more favorable picture but still finds 29 people in these four departments who supervise only one person. Neither model takes into account staffing changes that have occurred over time, and thus miss the greater question of how the U of M got so top-heavy.

Melanie Steinman, Chief Steward of AFSCME Local 3800 and a clerical worker in American Studies said, “AFSCME has conducted our own analysis of staffing changes from 2008 to 2012, based on numbers provided to us from the university’s Office of Institutional Reporting. Since 2008, civil service positions have been reduced by 7.5% (approximately 750 positions). Of those, AFSCME-represented clerical positions have been reduced by nearly 10% – a loss of 150 jobs. At the same time, upper management (academic administrative staff) increased by 3.8%, or 85 positions.”

Steinman continued, “Most of the AFSCME job losses came in the form of layoffs – real people losing their jobs at the height of the worst economic crisis in nearly a century while the university’s 1% grew and prospered. In the past ten years, hundreds of senior management positions have been added, while tuition has doubled – making a quality education unattainable for the children of many working class Minnesotans.”

She added, “AFSCME at the university is glad to see the governor’s proposal for an increase in funding to the University of Minnesota and MNSCU and for scholarship funds. We also welcome the call for a more accountable university.”

Horazuk stated, “We are glad to hear President Kaler express a commitment to make real changes in the staffing layers and spans at the university. It’s unfortunate that it took front-page headlines in national news outlets for this to come about. Without a serious re-commitment to the University of Minnesota’s original mission to provide accessible and affordable education, as well as a commitment to provide decent, livable wage jobs for all workers, the future for students, workers and all Minnesotans is at risk.”

Horazuk added, “We also question the allocation of nearly half a million dollars to develop a plan for reducing administrative costs when the solution to the U’s administrative bloat is quite simple: chop from the top.”

#MinneapolisMN #UniversityOfMinnesota #AFSCME3800 #DefendEducation #teachersUnions

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following speech given by Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME Local 3800, in support of raising Minnesota’s welfare grants. Horazuk delivered this speech at the Jan. 8 protest organized by the Welfare Rights Committee. Tax the rich! Defend public services and the people who provide them

We know that the United States is in year four of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression; and

We know that poor and working people are sinking deeper into crisis, while banks, corporations, and the wealthy continue to get bailouts and tax breaks; and

We know that during the Great Depression, working people organized for and won the creation of social safety net programs such as Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, that ensured survival for poor and working people; and that those benefits were expanded in the Great Society programs of the 1960’s to include welfare (or what is now called TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families); and

We know that the vast majority of welfare recipients are women, children, and families of people with disabilities. In 2008, when the current economic crisis began, 28.7% of the households headed by single women were considered poor. In 2010, the poverty rate for single-mother families was 40.7% compared to 8.8% for married-couple families; and

We know that, welfare provides income security and an economic safety net that allows women and children to leave abusive situations; and

We know that our communities are facing high unemployment, shortage of living wage jobs and the foreclosure crisis has caused rents to spike; and

We know that people are running out of unemployment insurance without a job that pays the bills to take its place; and

We know that 150 clerical workers at the U lost their jobs during this crisis. Jobs that barely paid enough to take care of their families. Now they are trying to live on unemployment and we know some have turned to public assistance.

We know that welfare creates a floor below which wages cannot fall; and

We know that public employees are on the front lines when families in our communities come in needing help and we see how inadequate the welfare grants are to meet families’ needs; and

We know that same politicians and media pundits who vilify public employees also vilify the clients we serve – the recipients of social safety net programs; and

We know that these same politicians try to turn us against each other; giving a choice between saving welfare programs or saving public sector jobs

We know, in our fight to defend our jobs; our most logical allies are the recipients of the services we provide; and

Today is the opening day of the legislative session and the state legislature and Governor Dayton have to set priorities and make choices.

They can listen to the people – the 99%, those who elected them. Or they can listen to the corporations and ruling elite – the 1%.

They can fund desperately needed services, and create public jobs with good pay and benefits, – supporting the people who really drive this economy – the working people who make things run, and the poor and unemployed who are desperately looking for a step up and the ability to care for themselves and their families.

Or they can give more handouts to the corporations and the elite who will enrich themselves.

They can rob Peter to pay Paul.

Or they can tax the rich.

We demand that they hold public institutions like the U of M accountable, and that the U stop bloating the administration while cutting frontline jobs and raising tuition.

We demand that they increase the TANF grants; which have not seen a single increase in 26 years; and

We demand that vital services are universally available and fully funded; and

We demand that they increase child care subsidies in addition to increasing TANF funds, so as to ensure a livable wage for childcare providers and full welfare benefits for recipients; and

We demand that they fund social programs that base their success on helping families achieve economic self-sufficiency through training and job placements that lead to stable jobs, living wages, good benefits and career ladders; and

We demand that they tax the rich.

#StPaulMN #WelfareRightsCommittee #TaxTheRich #AFSCME3800 #CherreneHorazuk

Fight Back News Service is circulating the following speech given by Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME Local 3800, in support of raising Minnesota’s welfare grants. Horazuk delivered this speech at the Jan. 8 protest organized by the Welfare Rights Committee. Tax the rich! Defend public services and the people who provide them

We know that the United States is in year four of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression; and

We know that poor and working people are sinking deeper into crisis, while banks, corporations, and the wealthy continue to get bailouts and tax breaks; and

We know that during the Great Depression, working people organized for and won the creation of social safety net programs such as Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare, that ensured survival for poor and working people; and that those benefits were expanded in the Great Society programs of the 1960’s to include welfare (or what is now called TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families); and

We know that the vast majority of welfare recipients are women, children, and families of people with disabilities. In 2008, when the current economic crisis began, 28.7% of the households headed by single women were considered poor. In 2010, the poverty rate for single-mother families was 40.7% compared to 8.8% for married-couple families; and

We know that, welfare provides income security and an economic safety net that allows women and children to leave abusive situations; and

We know that our communities are facing high unemployment, shortage of living wage jobs and the foreclosure crisis has caused rents to spike; and

We know that people are running out of unemployment insurance without a job that pays the bills to take its place; and

We know that 150 clerical workers at the U lost their jobs during this crisis. Jobs that barely paid enough to take care of their families. Now they are trying to live on unemployment and we know some have turned to public assistance.

We know that welfare creates a floor below which wages cannot fall; and

We know that public employees are on the front lines when families in our communities come in needing help and we see how inadequate the welfare grants are to meet families’ needs; and

We know that same politicians and media pundits who vilify public employees also vilify the clients we serve – the recipients of social safety net programs; and

We know that these same politicians try to turn us against each other; giving a choice between saving welfare programs or saving public sector jobs

We know, in our fight to defend our jobs; our most logical allies are the recipients of the services we provide; and

Today is the opening day of the legislative session and the state legislature and Governor Dayton have to set priorities and make choices.

They can listen to the people – the 99%, those who elected them. Or they can listen to the corporations and ruling elite – the 1%.

They can fund desperately needed services, and create public jobs with good pay and benefits, – supporting the people who really drive this economy – the working people who make things run, and the poor and unemployed who are desperately looking for a step up and the ability to care for themselves and their families.

Or they can give more handouts to the corporations and the elite who will enrich themselves.

They can rob Peter to pay Paul.

Or they can tax the rich.

We demand that they hold public institutions like the U of M accountable, and that the U stop bloating the administration while cutting frontline jobs and raising tuition.

We demand that they increase the TANF grants; which have not seen a single increase in 26 years; and

We demand that vital services are universally available and fully funded; and

We demand that they increase child care subsidies in addition to increasing TANF funds, so as to ensure a livable wage for childcare providers and full welfare benefits for recipients; and

We demand that they fund social programs that base their success on helping families achieve economic self-sufficiency through training and job placements that lead to stable jobs, living wages, good benefits and career ladders; and

We demand that they tax the rich.

#StPaulMN #WelfareRightsCommittee #TaxTheRich #AFSCME3800 #CherreneHorazuk

Minneapolis, MN – Today 25 staff, faculty, graduate and undergraduate held a press conference to speak out against the University of Minnesota administration’s continued attempts to push budget cuts onto students and the lowest paid staff at the U.

Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME 3800, the clerical workers at the U of M said, “President Bruininks budget pushes the U’s budget problems onto students and staff at the University of Minnesota while it continues to inflate the administration.”

Walker continued, “While the budget for public education gets slashed, over 250 administrators at the University of Minnesota are paid more than $200,000 per year. Increasing layoffs and the threatened furloughs reduce vital services for students. Furloughs are a pay cut and front line staff are already struggling to get by.”

Members of the progressive faculty group, Faculty for the Renewal of Public Education, also joined for the press conference asking the administration to stop using cuts that disproportionately effect lower paid staff and stop cutting academic programs at our public land-grant institution.

After the press conference most of the group went inside, where the Board of Regents were having their annual public budget hearing, the only time when the community can comment on the budget. This year the president has recommended a budget that includes additional departmental cuts and staff and faculty taking pay cuts.

Cherrene Horazuk, chief steward of AFSCME 3800, told the regents, “The administration states ‘we are all in this together – all employee groups need to sacrifice equally.’ Well, over the past year and a half, clerical workers have sacrificed. 36% fewer AFSCME members are taking classes since you instituted 10-25% cuts in the regents’ scholarship program. Clerical workers gave up two years of step increases, or 4%, in order to help the university deal with budget cuts. Over the past year and a half, 4.3% of our members have lost their jobs, compared to only 0.43% of academic administrators. Clearly, clerical workers and other front-line staff have made our sacrifice and should not be asked, much less mandated, to sacrifice any more. It’s time the university eliminate many of these bloated administrative positions and their six-figure salaries.”

Jesse Simmons, of the University of Minnesota Students for a Democratic Society, said, “It’s time for the Board of Regents to do the right thing for students and staff at this university. Chop from the top!”

#MinneapolisMN #StudentMovement #EconomicCrisis #BudgetCuts #AFSCME3800

St. Paul, MN – “You need a permit to do that,” the cops told the group of women writing last-minute posters outside Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty’s office, May 17. The posters were in preparation for the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout event on the last day of the Minnesota legislative session.

A few hours earlier, the state government passed a budget that stole billions of dollars from programs for the poor, working people and disabled children, including massive amounts from education, TANF and health care. The Coalition members had little patience for the governor’s cops telling them what to do. After some words were exchanged, the cops were ignored and the women continued with the signs. One read, “Pawlenty = Criminal.”

May 17 marked Pawlenty’s last day as governor during a legislative session. This is Pawlenty’s last term, as he is running for U.S. President. The Coalition’s call for the event noted, “Since 2003, Governor Pawlenty has been systematically, irresponsibly and selfishly destroying Minnesota. On the last day of the 2010 legislative session, we know that we will be again staring into the face of another disaster, created by the governor. We won’t let him slink away from this session in silence.”

Accordingly, every time the doors to the Governor’s reception room opened, the group chanted, “Hey Pawlenty! Here’s the fix: Undo your cuts. Tax the rich!” The cops didn’t like that either, since their boss was inside the gilded reception room, giving his final end-of-session press conference.

The statement noted, “The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout formed on Oct. 29, 2008 and has called for the state of to work on the real problems that face poor and working people during this time of economic crisis: put a moratorium on foreclosures, no cuts to programs that help people during hard times, no layoffs, and ‘jobs or income now.’ While some legislators have supported those demands, most then said that their hands were tied because of the Governor. Whether that is true or not, it is clear that Pawlenty has imposed a reign of terror at the capitol since he took office.”

Cherrene Horazuk, member of AFSCME Local 3800, a Coalition member group, stated: “Every year Pawlenty has dug the hole deeper, expecting the people to bail him out.”

Deb Konechne said, “During all these years, the rich have not paid one dime to solve the state budget deficits. In the big picture, they got richer by making us poorer – by stealing our homes, laying us off, shredding the safety net and by amassing wealth through their fat-cat tax breaks. It is long past time for them to pay.” Konechne is a member of the Welfare Rights Committee, another member group of the Coalition.

After the governor’s press conference was over and as the media was streaming out, Bailout members kept the chant going steadily.

As the Coalition members were packing to leave, some haggled with the cops again, in an attempt to officially deliver some of the protest signs to the Governor Pawlenty, including one that read, “Pawlenty jumps ship from a drowning Minnesota.”

A couple of protesters got lucky. As they were exiting the capitol, they looked down from the top of the steps. There was the Governor and his henchmen on their way to a waiting SUV in the back parking lot. The chanting began again, “Hey Pawlenty! Here’s the fix: Undo your cuts. Tax the rich!” The SUV took off to the taunts of “Criminal!” The Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout is satisfied that Governor Pawlenty did not “slink away from this session in silence.”

#StPaulMN #CapitalismAndEconomy #PoorPeoplesMovements #WelfareRightsCommittee #MinnesotaCoalitionForAPeoplesBailout #AFSCME3800

Minneapolis, MN – On April 28, the Save Our School and Chop from the Top coalitions held a community forum called “The People’s State of the University” in Coffman Memorial Union at the University of Minnesota. Initiated by Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), the event served to counter President Bruininks’ State of the University address (which was only presented as a written document online) with alternate viewpoints from the University community.

Bruininks claims in his address to “have the best interests of the University and our students at heart,” but the administration continues to balance the budget on the backs of students and frontline staff. The forum served as a venue to speak out against the hypocrisy of the administration and as an opportunity for students, staff and faculty to continue the discussions ignited by the national March 4 education rights protest.

The forum’s speakers included Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME 3800 clerical workers’ union; Professors Eva von Dassow and William Messing from Faculty for the Renewal of Public Education; Eli Meyerhoff and Elizabeth Johnson from Graduate Student Workers United; Student Solidarity Alliance member Jesse Simmons and SDS member Mia Overly. The audience included students, staff and faculty. Noticeably absent was the representative from the administration who President Bruininks had promised to send. It is clear that the administration is not interested in hearing our voices, despite Bruininks’ claims to the contrary.

AFSCME 3800 President Phyllis Walker declared that although the administration has continually stated that everyone should be tightening their belts in light of the current budget crisis, it is the lowest paid workers that have been targeted for layoffs: clerical, technical and health care workers. The administration has proposed forced furloughs, which, Walker states, would mean a “1.15% pay cut to the lowest-paid.”

Things aren’t much better for students. As Jesse Simmons of the Student Solidarity Alliance pointed out, the average student from the U of M graduates $30-40,000 in debt, and tuition just keeps increasing. Meanwhile, the administrators are paid bloated, ridiculous salaries.

Mia Overly of SDS said, “The [budget] crisis… has been brought on by the greed of the administration and now are they are kindly asking the students to pay a bit more in tuition, the grad students to continue to pay their extravagant fees, the staff to kindly take a few more unpaid days, the faculty to teach more and larger classes, and the list goes on.” Explaining why SDS wanted to have the forum in the first place, Overly expressed doubts about President Bruininks’ intentions, despite his claim to have the students’ and workers’ best interests at heart: “SDS finds this hard to believe when the majority of the cuts to funding and to programs are aimed at the most underprivileged in our community.”

Overly also pointed to the skewed priorities of the U.S. government, stating, “Iceland, Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Cuba, Sri Lanka and Brazil, just to name a few, are countries that provide free higher education to their citizens, some even including funding for non-citizens. The priorities of the United States in comparison are obvious when we can spend trillions on war and occupation and negligible amounts on higher education.”

Proffessor Messing also spoke of the free universities in Europe, hoping that the U.S. could follow their examples. Meyerhoff took the comparison a step further: Students in Europe riot when university fees go up. “Where are our riots?” Meyerhoff asks, adding, “Non-action is supporting the status quo.”

The panel members, along with the organizations they represent, are fed up. Although the groups involved in the Save Our School and Chop from the Top coalitions have diverse backgrounds and tactics, it is clear that their goals are the same: to make a more fair university, where faculty work together instead of competing for grants and promotions, where staff are valued and paid fairly and where any person can afford to attend this public university. Education should be a priority of our nation, not a privilege to the wealthy.

Mia Overly finished her remarks by quoting Howard Zinn: “’The oppressors always try to force victims to turn on other victims.’ This is clearly the way the administration would like us all to see it – one group against the other, let us fight for the limited remaining resources, when in fact we should be allies together in this struggle against the one oppressing us all: the administration at the University of Minnesota.”

#MinneapolisMN #StudentsForADemocraticSocietySDS #AFSCME3800 #March4thMovement #StudentSolidarityAlliance

Minneapolis, MN -A two thousand-plus crowd of high school, college and even elementary school students gathered at the University of Minnesota student union, Nov. 2 to protest the war on Iraq and demand that military recruiters get out of their schools.

Speakers at the rally demanded that money be spent on education and jobs, not on war. Courtney Gallo of the Anti-War Organizing League (AWOL), one of the main groups organizing the rally, stressed, “The illegal U.S. occupation of Iraq was only part of a larger plan for domination and U.S. imperialism,” and demanded that “ U.S. troops be sent home immediately.” The United States is spending hundreds of billions of dollars to destroy Iraqi cities and families, yet it will not provide an education to those living within its own borders.

The rally was followed by a militant march through campus. When students passed the General College building, they chanted, “Money for schools, not for war – save General College!” Last year the University of Minnesota Board of Regents voted to shut down General College, which provides access and education for low-income students and students of color. Outraged by the University’s racism and elitism, the chants grew louder. The protesters were greeted warmly with waves and clapping from the College’s windows.

The march also passed by the administration building, Morrill Hall. Here the students showed their solidarity with the AFSCME workers’ unions by chanting, “What do we want? Fair contracts! When do we want it? Now!” The unions have been negotiating for months with the administration, which refuses to offer anything more than a 2% wage increase for the workers. Kelly Ryan of AFSCME 3800, the clerical workers’ union, said, “We had to fight even for the administration to offer a 2% raise. We’ve suffered a two-year wage freeze, and many of us work second jobs just to get by. Meanwhile, President Bruininks makes over $300,000 a year. We demand fair wages and appreciate student support, because a united front will mean victory.” Though the marchers intended to pass through Morrill Hall, they surrounded it instead, since the building was locked down.

The march ended at the Army Recruitment Center on Washington Avenue, where the students demanded that military recruiters get out of their schools.

Sabry Wazwaz of the Anti-War Committee said, “The Bush administration claims there will not be a draft. We know the truth – there already is. There is a racist draft, a poverty draft. We find these recruiters at schools in low-income communities, where lies and deceit trick innocent children into joining the military. We refuse to fall for their lies, and we are here today to spread the truth.”

A massive presence of high school students gave inspiring energy to the protest, especially since many of these students knew they could be punished, even suspended by their schools for their decision to stand up for justice. Youth Against War and Racism brought out students from 40 city and suburban schools, with the largest presence coming from Minneapolis South High, where students walked out by the hundreds.

For all those who attended, this protest was an inspiring renewal of anti-war sentiment.

The majority of Americans are against this war, and we will be heard. The tide is turning. It is only a matter of time before it washes overshore.

#MinneapolisMN #AntiwarMovement #Iraq #militaryRecruiters #AFSCME3800 #AntiWarOrganizingLeague #IraqWar #MiddleEast

St. Paul, MN – The Senate Business, Industry and Jobs Committee voted to outlaw workfare – forced, free labor performed by welfare recipients. The bill, authored by David Tomassoni (D-Chisholm), was initiated by the Twin Cities-based Welfare Rights Committee.

The senate committee heard testimony from women who have been pushed to work for free as well as from labor leaders who are against workfare in Minnesota. Phyllis Walker, president of AFSCME Local 3800 (clerical workers at the University of Minnesota) testified about the many unions and statewide labor bodies that have endorsed the legislation.

A Welfare Rights Committee statement noted, “Workfare is an insult to poor parents, who already know about working the hardest jobs for the least pay. Minnesota does not need to do workfare to meet federal welfare requirements. Workfare is a right-wing devised giveaway to corporations – a giveaway of poor mothers’ forced, free labor.”

#StPaulMN #SaintPaulMN #PoorPeoplesMovements #News #AFSCME3800 #Workfare #SenateBusiness #IndustryAndJobsCommittee

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

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.”

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

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