After Losing Strike, U Workers Plan to ‘Bite Back’

When University of Minnesota workers ended their strike last week, the school came out victorious. Even so, union officials and state legislators are looking at ways to make the U more accountable to its lower-income workers.

Hundreds of clerical, technical and health care workers walked off the job Sept. 5 after their union turned down the university’s two-year contract proposal, which called for a 2.25 percent cost of living increase for clerical and technical workers, and a 2.5 percent increase for health care workers. 

In addition, the university offered annual step raises for experience and a $300 lump sum each year. Workers who are not eligible for step increases were offered an additional $300 each year.

But the union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, demanded a 3.25 percent raise-the amount allocated by the state Legislature for workers at the university. The university has contended that the step raises for experience make up the additional cost of living increase workers wanted.

Read moreAfter picketing for 16 days, some workers were finding it difficult to make ends meet because of the loss of pay. The strike ended Sept. 21 in favor of the university’s proposal.

“We couldn’t sustain the strike because our average worker supports his or her family with a mere $34,000 a year-an amount that qualifies him or her for food stamps,” said Jennifer Lovaasen, a spokeswoman for AFSCME.

More than 1,000 of the union’s 43,000 members are participating in their annual convention in Duluth this week. They are exploring ways to “work with legislators to hold the university accountable for impoverishing some of its works,” said Lovaasen. “We have to bite back-in a way.”

AFSCME has a powerful legislative lobby. Though she wouldn’t delve into details, Lovaasen said the union is prepared to employ the in-house lobby team when the next session starts early next year.

Technically, the Legislature can’t force the university to spend the funds appropriated for its workers in a certain way, said Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville.

“But we have to do something about this grossly unfair situation,” he said.

He and Lovaasen emphasize that they respect the university as an institution, but that their frustration is toward the administration.

“President [Robert] Bruininks’ pay increase alone this year was $64,000-almost twice as much as the average worker makes. That’s just wrong,” Marty said. “The appropriate thing to do is try and get the university to do the right thing-not punish it.”