Four AFSCME unions representing Ramsey County employees kicked off their contract campaign July 13 at the library in Roseville, where they gathered signatures on a petition to county commissioners.
Before opening contract negotiations with Ramsey County this week, union members appealed to county residents for support of their top demands, including safe staffing and fair wages.
County workers rolled out their contract campaign on a busy Saturday at the Roseville library, presenting patrons on their way into the building with a petition to county commissioners.
Four local unions affiliated with Council 5 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) opened bargaining with Ramsey County on July 17. Together, AFSCME Locals 8, 151, 707 and 1935 represent over 2,000 county employees.
“We are here at the Roseville Library – one of the busiest public libraries in the state – to encourage residents to support workers across the county, who provide critical services to the community and are a valuable resource to all,” Local 8 President Mario Lee said during a brief rally July 13.
The county’s AFSCME unions are looking to build public support early in the bargaining process this year, after county administrators took a hardline approach to the last round of negotiations three years ago.
During those talks, management only moved off its demand for a wage freeze after workers called out county leaders with informational picketing outside the courthouse.
The county has become notorious in recent years, Local 8 Vice President Anna Christie said, for “balancing its budget on the backs of its employees.” She pointed to a 9.5% pay raise for the county manager from 2019 to 2022, while AFSCME members have lost 13.5% of their wages to inflation over the last four years.
For residents, the lack of competitive pay shows up in services they receive at county libraries, public health offices, parks and other agencies, where high employee turnover and short staffing have become the norm, according to union members.
Lee said staffing shortfalls in some departments put workers’ health and safety at risk.
“Our workers have continued to be spat upon, yelled at, physically assaulted and stalked, but aren’t treated with dignity and respect from our employer,” he said. “Besides asking the county to offer fair and equitable wages to frontline staff, we urge them to address severe staffing shortages that are negatively impacting service to patrons and residents while placing our employees at risk of harm.”
Frontline workers, Christie said, feel like Ramsey County “keeps asking us to do more with less.”
“We keep showing up for Ramsey County,” she added. “It’s time for Ramsey County to show up for us by paying us fair and equitable wages and ensuring safe staffing levels so we can provide the highest quality service to our residents and the public we serve.”
– Michael Moore, Union Advocate editor
Union Advocate 