The Trump administration has refused to release more than $5 billion in SNAP contingency funds, a move unions say is an attempt to leverage hunger for political gain.
Families, educators, food shelves brace for SNAP cutoff: ‘This is a policy choice’
October 31, 2025 by
St. Paul educators reach tentative deal, shift focus to levy campaign
August 14, 2025 by
The St. Paul Federation of Educators last week reached a tentative agreement on new union contracts covering about 4,000 teachers, education assistants and school professionals working in the state’s second-largest school district. If union members and the Board of Education vote to ratify the two-year contracts, they could take effect before the district’s first day […]
Union educators tracking effects of federal funding loss
October 23, 2024 by
“COVID funds gave SPPS the opportunity to focus on what students actually need to be successful learners,” one SPPS teacher said. “Students, parents and educators all saw our students improve. The loss of these funds will be devastating for our community.”
St. Paul educators’ new contracts deliver pay increases, preserve classroom gains
March 14, 2024 by
St. Paul educators voted this week to ratify new union contracts that will improve their pay and benefits while upholding the in-classroom supports they won in previous bargaining cycles. “Educators often bargain for things that are outside of those bread-and-butter issues,” St. Paul Federation of Educators President Leah VanDassor said. “This time around, we’re really […]
St. Paul educators set March 11 strike deadline, seek community support
February 28, 2024 by
SPFE has set up an online form for supporters to email board members.
‘Bill of Rights’ would fund $25 minimum wage, health benefits for hourly school staff
March 9, 2023 by
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 […]
Staffing crisis prompts school employees to ask for support, patience
August 23, 2022 by
“Take a breath and remember that the educators and staff who chose to come back this fall did so because they really care about the students and want them to succeed,” Education Minnesota President Denise Specht said.
St. Paul educators balk at district’s demand for concessions
December 16, 2021 by
Less than two years after their historic strike drew thousands of supporters into the streets, St. Paul educators are back at the bargaining table, looking to defend and build on gains made in their last contract. This morning educators were back outside their school buildings, too, showing unity and support for the student-centered priorities guiding […]
Staff announce union drives at two Twin Cities charter schools
May 4, 2021 by
Staff at two Twin Cities charter schools kicked off Teacher Appreciation Week earlier this month by filing for recognition of their unions. Teachers, paraprofessionals and support staff from Great River School in St. Paul and Hiawatha Academies in Minneapolis went public with their campaigns after filing signed authorization cards with the National Labor Relations Board […]
Wait for vaccines to reopen schools, St. Paul educators say
January 18, 2021 by
St. Paul educators, parents and community members wary of the district’s plan to resume in-person learning staged a car rally Jan. 12, calling on administrators to hold off on reopening buildings until COVID-19 vaccines are available to school staff. St. Paul Public Schools plans to begin a phased-in reopening of elementary schools and some other […]
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