Minnesota AFL-CIO adds to staff

The state’s largest labor federation, the Minnesota AFL-CIO, hired Todd Dahlstrom as director of organizing and growth and Bill Breon as coordinator of the Path to Power program this month. Path to Power is the state federation’s new effort to support union members running for public office, ensuring that working Minnesotans have more voice in […]

‘Labor Sing’ to benefit AFL-CIO Community Services

The Twin Cities Labor Chorus will host its annual summer concert and sing-along, “Labor Sing,” at the State Fairgrounds July 29. The 7 p.m. concert will take place inside the Minnesota AFL-CIO Labor Pavilion, located at the corner of Dan Patch Ave. and Cooper St, near the Snelling Avenue entrance to the fairgrounds. Admission is […]

Jennifer Munt: Let’s move Minnesota in 2015

Minnesota has an urgent transportation problem that’s making it difficult for Minnesotans to get to their next destination, whether that’s work, school, play or family. Transportation is about opportunity for all no matter who you are or where you live. Workers need safer roads and better public transit to get to work. Our seniors need […]

Unions raise safety concerns at Ridgedale mall construction site

MINNETONKA – Laborers, bricklayers, painters, electricians and other union craftspeople picketed together outside Ridgedale Center in Minnetonka this morning, targeting several contractors working inside the mall that are undermining area wage and safety standards, according to the unions. Ridgedale’s Chicago-based ownership group, General Growth Properties (GGP), is spending $100 million to upgrade the mall, which […]

Home care workers ‘invisible no more’ after filing for historic union election

When home care workers in Minnesota launched their campaign to form a statewide union less than two years ago, they set out to raise wages, improve working conditions and bring legitimacy and respect to a career path seen as critical to meeting the needs of an aging population. They may not have set out to […]

Nurses, support workers unite for safe staffing at North Memorial Hospital

ROBBINSDALE – Rankled by North Memorial Hospital’s plan to cut their staffing levels, nurses and support staff united for informational picketing outside the facility here today. Hospital management, union leaders say, has moved unilaterally to cut staffing among nurses, dietary aides, housekeepers and other support workers to dangerously low levels. Nurses, for example, are now expected […]

An engine for economic growth, Green Line opens to big crowds

Minnesotans celebrated the opening of Metro Transit’s Green Line with ribbon-cuttings, neighborhood-centric events and more than 107,000 free rides June 14-15. But there was more to celebrate than the long-anticipated arrival of a sleek, new transit option between the Twin Cities’ downtown areas. Jobs – and plenty of them – were also reason to celebrate. […]

Hamline adjunct faculty members vote to join union

In the first union-organizing election among faculty members at a private college in Minnesota, adjunct instructors at Hamline University in St. Paul voted to join Local 284 of the Service Employees International Union. Eligible faculty members at Hamline cast their ballots by mail earlier this month. A vote tally took place this morning at the […]

New endorsements give shape to Minnesota AFL-CIO’s 2014 political push

The state’s largest labor federation, the Minnesota AFL-CIO, added to its list of endorsed candidates for state and federal offices yesterday, as Labor’s 2014 political push continued to take shape locally. Most notably, the Minnesota AFL-CIO backed 55 DFLers running for the Minnesota House of Representatives. The DFL Party will look to defend its 12-seat […]

With support from bonding bill, MN Workers Memorial Garden nears completion

The $1 billion package of public infrastructure investments approved by state lawmakers earlier this year includes $250,000 for a mural and other improvements that will complete the Minnesota Workers Memorial Garden in St. Paul. Construction of the memorial, located near the intersection of 12th and Cedar in the southeast corner of the Capitol grounds, wrapped […]