Marker honoring fallen Minneapolis Teamsters to be dedicated July 18

After a lengthy fundraising campaign, the Remember 1934 Committee will unveil a permanent plaque July 18 in the Warehouse District of downtown Minneapolis commemorating the historic Teamsters strikes that echoed across the U.S. – and made Minneapolis a union town. The committee will host an unveiling and celebration at 11 a.m. July 18 at the […]

Leading scholars to discuss past, present and future of labor movement

The East Side Freedom Library will host a conversation on labor history July 18 with two of the nation’s leading activist scholars in the field. The event is free and open to all. University of California at Santa Barbara professors Eileen Boris and Nelson Lichtenstein will lead the informal conversation. Boris and Lichtenstein “have produced […]

In contract talks, state workers beat back health care concessions, win raises

After reaching a tentative agreement with the state July 1, members of two public-employee unions are set to vote this month on a two-year contract that includes annual raises of 2.5 percent. Bargaining teams from both Council 5 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees […]

Nurses plan BBQ Bash for Medicare

Wish Medicare a happy 50th birthday at a free barbecue and celebration hosted by the Minnesota Nurses Association from 5 to 9 p.m. July 30 at the Highland Park Shelter, 1200 Montreal Ave., St. Paul. Nurses are marking Medicare’s birthday with calls for lawmakers to protect, improve and expand the popular program, which provides high-quality […]

‘Labor Sing’ concert at State Fairgrounds July 28

The Twin Cities Labor Chorus will host its annual summer concert and sing-along, “Labor Sing,” at the State Fairgrounds July 28. Local folk musician Emmett Doyle and other special guests will join the performance. The 7 p.m. concert will take place inside the Minnesota AFL-CIO Labor Pavilion, located at the corner of Dan Patch Ave. […]

Tim Mackey: Laborers fought physical machine testing – and won

On June 30, Laborers Local 563 won its federal court case to enforce an arbitration award that stopped an employer from using a physical machine test to screen members. The union believes that this type of test has nothing to do with the ability to do the work and may unfairly exclude people who have […]

Day One: Minnesota home care workers’ first contract takes effect today

The union contract that goes into effect today between the State of Minnesota and home care workers statewide is a big deal to Tallaya Byers. But it’s about more than paid time off, wage increases and other benefits that kick in today, the 38-year-old from St. Paul said. “I’m being recognized as an employee,” said […]

High court will hear case targeting public-sector unions

The Supreme Court today announced it would hear arguments in a case challenging unions’ ability to collect fees from public-sector workers who choose not to join a union but, as members of the bargaining unit, enjoy equal access to benefits provided by the union contract. Eliminating so-called “fair share fees,” ruled constitutional by the Supreme […]

Love wins! Union members join celebration at Twin Cities Pride Parade

  Union members joined the party at the Ashley Rukes GLBT Pride Parade in Minneapolis yesterday, cheering the Supreme Court’s historic decision making marriage equality the law of the land. “We’re always fighting; it feels good to be celebrating for a change,” Charli Haataja, a member of Local 7250 of the Communications Workers of America, […]

Minnesota native wins election as CWA’s secretary-treasurer

Fridley native Sara Steffens was elected secretary/treasurer of the Communications Workers of America, one of the largest labor unions in the country. Steffens, 43, was sworn in at the union’s 75th convention in Detroit on June 8. Steffens was previously acting secretary/treasurer of the NewsGuild-CWA, a sector representing journalists, language interpreters and others. A journalist […]