Pushed by workers, Democrats added more enforceable labor standards.
Union solidarity drives fight for $15 at MSP Airport
January 22, 2020 by
They may work different jobs or carry different union cards, but workers at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are fighting together to raise MSP’s minimum wage to $15. And their solidarity is paying off. The Metropolitan Airports Commission, which oversees operations at MSP Airport, is advancing an ordinance that would raise the minimum wage in three […]
Labor trafficker’s victims speak out, pointing to need for reform
January 17, 2020 by
Notorious wage broker Ricardo Batres, who pleaded guilty to felony charges of labor trafficking and insurance fraud in November, received a nine-month sentence in Hennepin County district court Wednesday. The sentencing brought to a close the first labor trafficking case to emerge from Minnesota’s construction industry. But worker advocates, armed with the findings of an […]
Wednesday is Public Post Office Day in Minnesota
November 25, 2019 by
Gov. Tim Walz issued a proclamation last week declaring Wednesday, Nov. 27, Public Post Office Day in the state of Minnesota. The proclamation, signed by both the governor and Secretary of State Steve Simon, is a token of the state’s gratitude for the U.S. Postal Service and its employees as they brace for a busy […]
To assess care crisis, Walz ‘walks a day’ in PCA’s shoes
November 22, 2019 by
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz walked in a home health care worker’s shoes today in St. Paul. The governor helped 41-year-old Jay Spika, who has primary progressive multiple sclerosis, bathe, dress and depart his St. Paul home. Walz worked alongside one of Spika’s home health aides, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota member Deb Howze. The “walk-a-day” event offered […]
Trafficker’s plea deal reveals construction industry ‘in distress,’ advocates say
November 20, 2019 by
When a notorious wage broker pleaded guilty to two felony charges in Hennepin County this week, it was welcome news for unions and community groups working to rid Minnesota’s construction industry of labor abuses. “We are grateful that the legal system is holding those who commit wage theft and illegal trafficking of construction workers seriously,” […]
Voters back labor candidates, campaigns in local elections
November 12, 2019 by
Candidates carrying the unified labor endorsement performed well in local elections across the East Metro last week, and union members helped pass several school-funding measures as well. The St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, endorsed 25 candidates on the ballot in 2019, and 23 won their races. All six school levy and bond referendums endorsed […]
St. Paul’s union-endorsed candidates aim to build on city’s new labor standards
November 1, 2019 by
In November 2015, when St. Paul last held regular City Council elections, the city had no earned sick and safe time ordinance on the books, and hardly anyone at City Hall was talking about a $15 minimum wage. What a difference four years make. When voters in St. Paul go back to the polls Nov. […]
Labor gets behind school bonds, levies in East Metro
October 25, 2019 by
Organized labor is boosting efforts to fund new investments in several East Metro public school districts, including a record-breaking building referendum in the White Bear Lake Area Schools. Levy and bond referendums empower communities to invest in their schools’ programming, facilities and technology – investments that always pay off in the long run, St. Paul […]
Bill to stop wage theft advances in Minnesota House
February 6, 2019 by
New penalties for employers who retaliate against employees, commit wage theft or deny workers access to their payroll information are among the bill’s provisions.
Union Advocate 