Minneapolis, MN – Minneapolis park workers have been on strike since July 4, after seven months of negotiations failed to lead to a contract that they could accept. The park workers are represented by the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA), Local 363.

On Wednesday July 24, the park workers decided it was time to take their fight to the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board meeting and make them face the workers. The board had intended to vote on a resolution to move a proposal at the bargaining table. However, after LIUNA members and supporters held a picket line for three hours, and packed the board room, ultimately the meeting adjourned with no other business being conducted except approving the meeting agenda.

In the latest offer, the park workers, who start around $20 an hour, would see 10.25% in raises over a three-year contract. LIUNA points out that the superintendent just gave himself a 10% raise this year in one year. They also point out that the park system has a $25 million reserve that they could tap into to give larger raises to the workers. Additionally, the park board has offered step increases, however they seek to make those contingent on a worker’s performance as perceived by their supervisor, opening the door to favoritism in pay.

In most rounds of bargaining, the superintendent sets the deal and the board primarily serves to rubber stamp whatever that deal is. However, this year the board is highly divided, with split votes occurring over questions as simple as whether to put discussion around a new proposal for the workers on the board meeting agenda at all. A motion to do this failed 3 to 5 at the most recent board meeting.

Nick Grebe, an arborist and serves on the negotiating committee for LIUNA 363, stated, “I am on strike because they have not had a tentative agreement on a single thing we have asked. Safety, changing our grievance process so it is more functional, and we have agreed to 18 of theirs. We came down on wages and agreed to their timelines, and they still won’t come back to the table. Still no movement. Nothing at all. So, I am here on day 19 or whatever it is now, and that is why we are still on strike.”

After the park board protest management agreed to come back to the table and negotiations were set for Thursday July 25. As of now no settlement has been reported yet and the strike continues.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Labor #LIUNA

Minneapolis, MN – On July 4, round 100 members of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 363 walked off their jobs and began what was intended to be a limited-duration strike set to end on Wednesday, July 10.

Right from the start the attitude was one of feisty resolve from these workers. This is the first time in the Minneapolis Park Board’s 141 year history that the workers went on strike, and the strike was authorized by a 94% majority.

During the first weeklong strike, they held planned pickets and actions all around Minneapolis, primarily at the parks. They also saw many solidarity actions popping off that week in support of the striking workers. The Minneapolis Federation of Teachers held a rally on Monday, July 8 in solidarity with the park workers, and has another solidarity rally set for Friday July 19.

The strike had been scheduled to end on Wednesday, July 10. However, the LIUNA members decided to extend the strike indefinitely after the latest proposal from management did not meet terms that they considered good enough to end the strike for. In fact, many in the union said on social media and in press releases that the new proposal from management was just as bad as the one that 94% of them voted to strike over.

LIUNA members say that they are fighting for a contract with real wage increases, and one that provides for safety and health of workers, as well as improvements to staffing and scheduling language. They also say they are fighting to beat back anti-union proposals from management. The strike comes after the workers spent seven months attempting in good faith to bargain a contract.

While the strike was initially scheduled to end July 10, the workers are holding strong more than two weeks in and continue to calendar out actions for the week ahead. They say they will keep fighting until they get the contract that they deserve.

According to a LIUNA study, the current top pay for parkkeepers is $30.99 per hour, compared to the suburban average of $38.02 for the same positions.

#MinneapolisMN #MN #Labor #Strike #LIUNA #MFT #Feature