Organizing bill extends child-care, home health workers ‘the respect we deserve’

After the union organizing bill passes the House, Jamie Gulley (left), president of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, and AFSCME Council 5 Executive Director Eliot Seide lead a celebration in the Capitol hallways.

Child-care providers and in-home health care workers celebrated a hard-fought victory for their professions yesterday, after the Minnesota House joined the Senate in passing a bill that would allow them to vote on whether to form a union. The celebration spilled from the House gallery into the Capitol hallways, as pro-union child-care and home-care workers […]

May Day rally draws hundreds in support of immigration reform

Supporters of immigration reform rally on the Minnesota Capitol lawn.

Chants of “si se puede!” rang out from the Minnesota Capitol lawn yesterday, as hundreds of people rallied for federal and state action to fix the nation’s broken immigration system. The May Day demonstration in St. Paul was one of dozens held across the U.S., organized by a broad coalition of groups – including labor […]

State’s transportation needs can’t wait, coalition warns

Brian Beedle (left), a member of the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters, checks out a map detailing potential job-creating investments in the Metro Area transit system.

Support for transportation and transit investments among state lawmakers this session appears lukewarm at best, and that baffles Rep. Alice Hausman. “With all the grumbling and complaining about roads and potholes, you wouldn’t think funding transportation would be this hard,” the DFLer from St. Paul said. Hausman, who chairs the House Capital Investment Committee, joined […]

Unions lead rally for immigration reform in Minneapolis

Josefina Garcia hoists her daughter Citlalli on her shoulders for a better view of the immigration rally downtown Minneapolis.

The time for bipartisan action to fix the country’s broken immigration system is now, according to a diverse group of more than 100 activists who rallied downtown Minneapolis yesterday for “commonsense” immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship. The event, one of several immigration rallies held across the country yesterday, drew support from unions, […]

As lockout drags on, community group ponders forming new orchestra

Mariellen Jacobson, chair of Save Our SPCO, announces plans to explore forming a new chamber orchestra in St. Paul.

A community group working to end the five-month lockout of St. Paul Chamber Orchestra musicians is exploring the possibility of forming a new group to replace the SPCO – and prevent any further losses of SPCO musicians to other orchestras around the country. Save Our SPCO, a grassroots group of patrons and audience members, announced […]

Gov. Dayton rallies support for preserving Saturday mail delivery

Advocates of preserving six-day mail delivery rally outside the main Minneapolis Post Office.

The fight is on to save Saturday mail delivery. Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton joined more than 100 demonstrators outside the main post office in Minneapolis yesterday, leading the call for federal lawmakers to strengthen – not dismantle – the U.S. Postal Service. “I’ve never heard of anyone whose business is in trouble deciding the way […]

Rally to save Saturday delivery this Sunday in Minneapolis

Demonstrators marched in St. Paul during a "Save Our Postal Service" rally on Cathedral Hill last year.

Supporters of protecting Saturday mail delivery will rally Sunday in Minneapolis, and Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton is among the speakers scheduled to participate in the event. The rally will take place outside the main Minneapolis Post Office, located at the intersection of 1st Street South and Marquette Avenue. It will begin at 1 p.m., and […]

Union members join push for immigration reform with path to citizenship

Luis Enrique Gomez, holding a picture of his children, talks with Rev. Paul Erickson.

U.S. citizenship isn’t something Mitch Azarcon takes for granted – not after watching her Filipino-born mother wait 25 years to move her family to the U.S. Now Azarcon, a surgical core technician at Rochester Methodist Hospital, is exercising her rights as a citizen, taking action through her union, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, to change federal law […]

Workers stand up to union busting at Lakeville rail company

Corey Plath, president of UTU Local 911, representing workers at Progressive Rail, talks to workers on the informational picket line.

Progressive Rail is harassing, intimidating and firing its workers in an attempt to supplant their union, leaders and members of the United Transportation Union said during informational picketing outside the company this morning. Eight workers at the Lakeville-based railway have been fired or harassed into resignation since February 2012, when a union contract covering 12 […]

Operation Christmas Solidarity lifts spirits of locked-out sugar workers

John O’Neil, president of United Steelworkers Local 264, sorts toys donated to Operation Christmas Solidarity.

For the second consecutive Christmas, the families of workers locked out of their jobs by American Crystal Sugar received a holiday boost from their extended union family. Operation Christmas Solidarity, co-sponsored by the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation and American Income Life, drew $45,000 in donations from local unions and members, who gave toys, food, […]

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