The voice of Saint Paul's working families since 1897
After their first public contract campaign in recent memory, union members who work at the Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) ratified a new agreement yesterday that will raise wages by $4 per hour across the board over the next two and a half years. The contract covers about 120 members of Office and Professional Employees […]
As striking food service workers in Hastings put a spotlight on hardships faced by some of the lowest-paid school employees, state lawmakers this week debated bold, new legislation to lift standards for all hourly school workers. The “Education Support Professionals’ Bill of Rights,” introduced by DFLers in both the House and Senate, would establish a […]
Union members and the Minnesota Historical Society reached a tentative agreement yesterday on a first contract that would raise wages across the board, provide six weeks of paid parental leave and compensate staff members for their longevity with the organization. The Historical Society’s 250-plus workers voted overwhelmingly to form their union in November 2021, and […]
The International Labor Communications Association (ILCA) announced winners of its annual Labor Media Awards last month, recognizing outstanding work published in 2021. The Saint Paul Union Advocate received a first-place award for photography and a third-place award for analysis. ILCA’s awards contest is the largest competition exclusively for labor journalists, drawing thousands of entries that […]
Minnesota has a new law that puts us on a path to 100% clean energy by 2040. That’s indisputably good for the environment. Thanks to the strong labor standards and equity provisions in the bill, it will also be great for all workers in our state, specifically union workers. Our nation has been struggling with […]
Women workers have provided compelling, personal testimony about paid family leave and its potential to improve working families’ lives.
Striking food service workers in Hastings have a lot of questions for members of the local school board, who were scheduled to have a public meeting this afternoon. Why won’t the district come back to the bargaining table? Why does the superintendent deserve a 6% raise when 2% is the best he can offer food […]
Metro Transit bus and train operators packed Met Council chambers Feb. 8, demanding input into the agency’s plan to improve safety across the local transit system. Council members were poised to approve that plan, finalized by Metro Transit in December, but they voted 7-5 to postpone any action for at least one week, giving management […]
Canadian Pacific Railway workers were careful to note that their protest in downtown Minneapolis last week was not a strike, but they weren’t optimistic about the chances of avoiding one, either. Members of the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way (BMWED), a Teamsters affiliate, blasted CP Railway for being a “bad actor” in contract negotiations during […]
“We feed their kids,” school cook Julie Clark said. “They should do more to help us feed ours.”
Union Advocate 