Fair State, Schell’s brew together to celebrate solidarity

Minnesota’s oldest and newest union breweries have teamed up to craft a beer celebrating solidarity in the workplace. Union Lager is a collaborative brew by Fair State in the Twin Cities, where workers formed a union with UNITE HERE Local 17 last summer, and August Schell in New Ulm, where union members have been brewing […]

After leaving auto industry, retired Machinist preps others for entry-level work

Greg Kinne isn’t letting the knowledge he gained over nearly five decades in the automotive industry go to waste in retirement. The former Machinist is sharing what he knows with a new generation of workers at the Twin Cities School. Kinne, a longtime member of Local Lodge 737, has signed on as a volunteer at […]

IUE-CWA members shine light on Walmart’s role in offshoring good jobs

Walmart’s supplier of LED light bulbs has announced plans to shift production to China, a move that will cost some 80 members of IUE-CWA Local 84704 in Bucyrus, Ohio, their jobs. The GE-Savant plant has had a presence in the Ohio community for nearly a century, and union members aren’t going down without a fight. They’ve […]

49ers’ courses offer high schoolers ‘3-for-1’ credit opportunity

Operating Engineers Local 49 is hoping a new partnership with Minnesota Virtual Academy will draw more high-school graduates into the union’s registered apprenticeship program – and help meet future demand for skilled, trained workers in the heavy-equipment industry. At the start of this school year, instructors from Local 49 began teaching for-credit courses open to […]

March events: Expo to connect women with pathways into trades

Women in Construction Week runs from March 7 to 13, and local tradeswomen, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), will celebrate with a virtual event showcasing career opportunities available in the unionized trades. The Women Building Success Info Expo is open to women statewide who are interested in learning more […]

Union pledges fight as AT&T plans more Twin Cities store closings

Local job cuts at AT&T will continue this spring, when the company plans to close three more wireless retail locations in the Twin Cities suburbs, according to Communications Workers Local 7250. The union, which represents AT&T wireless sales reps, technicians and call-center employees in Minnesota, received official notification of the store closings yesterday. AT&T closed […]

St. Paul unions take on new role getting fresh food to families

Local unions are stepping up this winter to connect thousands of Minnesotans with free, fresh food available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers to Families Food Box program. The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, which brings together over 100 local unions in Chisago, Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties, is spearheading the effort, working in […]

Budget axe falls on School District 197’s frontline workers

School board members signed off on the cuts over pleas from teachers, parents and paraprofessionals to reconsider.

Community rallies around refinery workers as Marathon lockout enters third week

Each day the lockout continues, Teamsters warn, Marathon is putting its workers and surrounding communities at risk.

Kera Peterson: To build back better, pass the PRO Act

Building back better means leveling the playing field and giving working people more power to join together and bargain better wages, benefits and working conditions.