Visit the Labor Pavilion at the Minnesota State Fair!

August 22, 2014 by
Ken Young of Sheet Metal Workers Local 10 puts the finishing touches on a copper rose at the Labor Pavilion on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

Ken Young of Sheet Metal Workers Local 10 puts the finishing touches on a copper rose at the Labor Pavilion on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.

Heading to the great Minnesota get-together? Stop by the Labor Pavilion for live music and entertainment, interactive exhibits and several opportunities to take action in support of working Minnesotans.

The Labor Pavilion is open daily throughout the fair at the corner of Dan Patch and Cooper, 1657 Dan Patch Ave.

The Minnesota AFL-CIO coordinates daily programming at the pavilion, featuring professional entertainers who are members of the Twin Cities Musicians Union, the Screen Actors Guild and other unions. The Minnesota AFL-CIO’s Labor Pavilion blog provides a guide to programming.

Individual unions and labor organizations also host kiosks on the pavilion. Here’s a rundown of some of this year’s offerings:

• Trades demonstrations

Several Building Trades unions are putting their crafts on display at the Labor Pavilion. That includes members of Sheet Metal Workers Local 10, who craft copper sheets into roses – complete with prickly thorns – from their Labor Pavilion kiosk. The roses are awarded to fairgoers who answer a trivia question correctly.

Operating Engineers Local 49 hosts a “sandbox simulator,” offering kids (or adults) an opportunity to try their hand an excavator – on a much smaller scale, of course; and members of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers power a laptop at their kiosk with a solar panel attached to the roof.

web.StateFair14-postal• Stop Staples

Twin Cities Letter Carriers and Postal Workers are co-hosting a kiosk to promote the nationwide boycott of Staples. All four postal unions have backed the “Stop Staples” campaign, prompted by the U.S. Postal Service’s pilot program to place service counters inside Staples stores.

The counters are not staffed by sworn USPS employees, but by Staples employees who, when working full time, earn about $18,000 per year – and receive minimal training on how to handle the mail.

At the Labor Pavilion kiosk, supporters can sign a postcard to Staples executives pledging to join the boycott. They also can read a heavily redacted copy of the agreement between the USPS and Staples.

Active and retired members of AFSCME Council 5 support transportation funding at the Fair: (L to R) Tony Peterson, Judy Schultz and Christine Main.

Active and retired members of AFSCME Council 5 support transportation funding at the Fair: (L to R) Tony Peterson, Judy Schultz and Christine Main.

• Moving Minnesota

Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are using the fair to make a public case for new investments in the state’s transportation infrastructure.

Visitors to AFSCME Council 5’s kiosk can sign up to support Move MN, a coalition of more than 200 non-profit and union organizations pushing for long-term, sustainable transportation investments, including roads, bridges, transit, bike and walk connections.

“Our infrastructure is in such bad shape,” Council 5 retiree Tony Peterson said. “We want a permanent solution for the whole state of Minnesota – not just another makeshift solution or quick-fix. We need lawmakers to act now to support Minnesota 20 years down the road.”

Jess Alexander demonstrates Working America's "scheduling puzzle."

Jess Alexander demonstrates Working America’s “scheduling puzzle.”

• The scheduling puzzle

Last year at the fair, unions and Working America, an organization for workers who do not have the benefit of a union on the job, used the State Fair to ramp up their successful campaign to raise Minnesota’s minimum wage. This year, Working America is making the transition to a new campaign to give more workers access to paid-sick days and fair scheduling.

“Raising the wage doesn’t help if you don’t get enough hours, or you don’t get paid on days when you’re not working because you’re sick,” said Jess Alexander, an organizer for Working America in Minnesota.

An interactive display at the Working America kiosk allows fairgoers to visualize their “scheduling puzzle” using blocks that represent time spent on work, family time, sleep, etc.

Linda Leighton, a descendent of one of the leaders of the 1934 Teamsters strike, is enlisting support for a historic monument in Minneapolis.

Linda Leighton, a descendent of one of the leaders of the 1934 Teamsters strike, is enlisting support for a historic monument in Minneapolis.

• Remembering Teamsters’ strike

The Remember 1934 Committee, which hosted an 80th anniversary commemoration of the historic Minneapolis Teamsters strike earlier this summer, is using the Labor Pavilion to continue its efforts to put a plaque on the site where two strikers were killed.

Linda Leighton, granddaughter of strike leader Ray Dunn, staffed the Remember 1934 kiosk on the opening day of the fair. She said the goal is to raise $5,000 to place a historic marker at 3rd Street and 6th Avenue North in Minneapolis.

• Patient safety campaign

Members of the Minnesota Nurses Association are enlisting supporters for their Safe Patient Standards campaign at the fair. Molly Henderson, a nurse at United Hospital in St. Paul, said unsafe staffing levels continue to threaten patient care at hospitals across the state.

“We’re here letting people know that this campaign isn’t really about us as nurses, it’s about you, as the public,” Henderson said. “It’s about caring for patients, keeping them safe. And we can’t do that if there isn’t the right number of nurses to care for the number of patients in the hospital.”

St. Paul Firefighter Dominic Novak, a member of Fire Fighters Local 21, demonstrates how not to put out a grease fire at the Labor Pavilion.

St. Paul Firefighter Dominic Novak, a member of Fire Fighters Local 21, demonstrates how not to put out a grease fire at the Labor Pavilion.

web.StateFair14-49ers

Tom Sundly of Operating Engineers Local 49 gives Bloomington 10-year-old Tyler Kauffman a crash course in using the controls of a model excavator.

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Trades remember the fallen, renew call for safety in Workers Memorial Day ceremony

April 28, 2014 by

web.wmd2014-aThe Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council held its annual Workers Memorial Day observance last Friday, honoring nine union workers who died over the previous year as a result of workplace injuries or illnesses.

The ceremony, held at the Workers Memorial Garden on the State Capitol grounds, included remarks from St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, who renewed the call for safe workplaces and good jobs for all workers.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman delivers remarks during the Building Trades' Workers Memorial Day ceremony.

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman delivers remarks during the Building Trades’ Workers Memorial Day ceremony.

“Today we remember those we have lost, but we must remember every day those that are on the site who we must protect,” Coleman said, “so that when they leave home in the morning, they have every assurance that they will come home that night.”

“It is not possible to eliminate all risk” from construction jobs, Coleman added; “but it is possible to reduce unnecessary risk.”

The mayor pointed specifically to the loss of John Valek, a 61-year-old member of Operating Engineers Local 49, who died Sept. 10, 2013 during demolition work on the site of the new St. Paul Saints baseball park downtown.

Building Trades leaders draped black scarves across white crosses bearing the names of Valek and other workers remembered during the ceremony Friday. A bell rang out once as each worker’s name was read.

Two other members of Local 49 were remembered during the ceremony: Jesse Grimsley, 31, who died Aug. 13 in a bulldozer accident, and Corey Lewellin, 34, who died Oct. 21 in a crane accident.

Michael Dalsin, 49, a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 10 who died in a fall March 31, 2014 was included in the remembrance ceremony, as were five workers who died from workplace-related illnesses over the previous year. They included:

• Art Rossbach, 71, a member of Pipefitters Local 455 who died Aug. 7 of mesothelioma.

• Theodore Schmitz, 74, a member of Local 455 who died Aug. 6 of asbestosis.

• Elmer R. Skaaden, 86, a member of Heat and Frost Insulators Local 34 who died April 22, 2013 of asbestosis.

• John W. Phillips, 78, a member of Local 34 who died Jan. 18 of lung cancer.

• Alan Crepeau, 70, a member of Local 34 who died Jan. 28 of lung cancer.

Workers Memorial Day observances are continue across the country and throughout the world today, the annual day of reflection on workplace fatalities and safety on the job.

In 2012, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4,383 workers were killed by traumatic injuries, down from 4,693 deaths reported the previous year. An estimated 50,000 to 60,000 more workers died from occupational diseases in 2012.

Minnesota saw 70 workplace fatalities in 2012, 15th lowest among states.

Operating Engineers Local 49 member John Valek died last fall during work on the new ballpark downtown St. Paul.

Operating Engineers Local 49 member John Valek died last fall during work on the new ballpark downtown St. Paul.

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In address to union retirees, Dayton weighs in on Cretex strike, more

September 25, 2013 by
Gov. Mark Dayton (right) greets Minnesota AFL-CIO President Emeritus Bernard Brommer at the Minnesota State Retiree Council convention.

Gov. Mark Dayton (right) greets Minnesota AFL-CIO President Emeritus Bernard Brommer at the Minnesota State Retiree Council convention.

Addressing a roomful of union retirees in Maplewood today, Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton recounted his morning meeting with members of Laborers Local 563 who are on strike, fighting to ensure a secure retirement of their own.

Dayton’s remarks to the Minnesota State Retiree Council’s 17th convention came on the heels of a dialogue with workers who have been walking the picket line outside the Cretex concrete plant in Shakopee since June 19. About 40 workers went on strike after the company refused to budge from its demand they give up the defined-benefit pensions many had been self-funding for decades.

Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson introduces Gov. Dayton at the retirees' convention.

Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson introduces Gov. Dayton at the retirees’ convention.

One Cretex worker, the governor recalled, had “tears streaming down her face” as she explained what losing her pension after 20 years of service to the company would mean for her family’s quality of life. Dayton did not identify Cretex by name, but said it was disheartening to see any company “take advantage of the fact there really isn’t a recourse for working men and women” when management decides to cut workers’ benefits.

The governor also said he planned to reach out to company executives for their side of the story, and that he hopes to see workers return to their jobs soon.

Tim Mackey, Local 563’s business manager, confirmed the meeting with Dayton, saying he was hopeful it would be a step toward resolution of the 3-month labor dispute.

“Thanks to this meeting with the governor, we can hopefully make further progress and get back to work,” he said.

Leaders from Operating Engineers Local 49 also attended the meeting with Dayton. Cretex employs 49ers at several of its facilities, and their current contract with the company is set to expire Dec. 31. That means 49ers are “on deck,” Business Manager Glen Johnson said.

“We don’t intend on allowing Cretex to take our members’ pensions away,” Johnson added. “We’re ready to fight for our members’ retirement too.”

The rest of Dayton’s remarks to retirees focused on politics. Highlights included:

• Jobs numbers. Dayton pointed to a report showing Minnesota had seen the fifth-most economic growth of any state last year. He also trumpeted the most recent state jobs report, which shows the state has regained all the jobs it lost during the Great Recession. About 122,000 Minnesotans who were unemployed when he took office, Dayton said, have jobs today.

“We’ve got 152,000 Minnesotans unemployed,” Dayton acknowledged. “We’ve got a lot more to do, but we’re making progress.”

• Minimum wage. A labor-backed coalition of groups announced plans during the State Fair to push a bill that would raise the state’s minimum hourly wage to $9.50 by 2015. Dayton said he supports such a bill, pointing out that the state’s current minimum wage of $6.15 per hour is the lowest among Upper Midwest states.

“What does that say about Minnesota and our commitment to working men and women?” Dayton said. “I believe we want work to pay.”

• Union organizing. Dayton said he was disappointed with a federal appeals court’s ruling that temporarily blocks a law passed last spring allowing child-care providers who receive state subsidies to vote on forming a union.

The legal challenge was bankrolled by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, which represents providers who oppose the union. Dayton decried the corporate-backed legal fund as an “extreme right-wing element in this state and this country” that was fighting to keep workers from deciding for themselves whether to form a union.

Rather than fighting to strip them of their rights, Dayton added, “we should be embracing” the people who want to improve wages, benefits, working conditions and training opportunities for workers in critical fields like home health care and child care.

• Health insurance exchange. A new federal report shows MNsure, the new health insurance exchange created as part of the federal health care overhaul, will offer the lowest rates of any state in the nation. “That’s something to be incredibly proud of,” Dayton said.

Dayton also thanked AFL-CIO retirees – he called them “the voice of middle-class Americans who have worked hard all their lives and played by the rules” – for their work last fall to win pro-worker majorities in the Legislature. “We really moved Minnesota ahead,” he said.

Union retirees open their 17th convention with a singing of "America the Beautiful" at the Sheet Metal Workers Hall in Maplewood.

Union retirees open their 17th convention with a singing of “America the Beautiful” at the Sheet Metal Workers Hall in Maplewood.

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August 2012: Electrical Workers Local 110 formed a century ago

August 1, 2012 by

It’s not a “golden anniversary” – that would be 110 years – but Local 110 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers will turn 100 years old this month, and members planned to celebrate July 28 with a picnic on Harriet Island.

The St. Paul-based union traces its roots to a division that took place in July 1912, when members of Electrical Workers Union No. 23 (now IBEW Local 23) voted to allow inside electrical workers to form their own local if they wished to do so.

[The Union Advocate’s “This Month in the Archives” feature offers a look back at what our newspaper was reporting from 5 to 100 years ago. Our digital archives are online, searchable and free to anyone. Click here for access.]

The split was amicable, as the Minnesota Union Advocate reported in its July 26, 1912, edition. “The membership of this union has increased so rapidly and so extensively during the last few months that the advisability of dividing it into two unions, a linemen’s and an inside wiremen’s union, has been seriously considered,” Editor Cornelius Guiney wrote.

Inside Electrical Workers’ Union No. 110 held its first membership meeting Aug. 16 at the St. Paul Trades & Labor Federation Hall. The new union, according to Guiney’s report in The Advocate’s Aug. 16 edition, boasted “seventy-five members and an all-conquering spirit of determination to get every inside electrical worker in the city on its roster.”

Local 110 Press Secreatry A.J. Velat told The Advocate the wiremen “intend to make their union one of the best of their craft in the history of St. Paul,” adding that they already have “struck a winning pace” with a “spirit of enthusiasm that stops at no obstacle.”

“If all the members stick and work, as they seem determined to do, there can be no doubt of early and great success,” Velat said.

One hundred years later, Local 110 members are still sticking, still working and, without a doubt, still succeeding. Congratulations!

• 75 Years Ago. In August 1937, beauty salons were a hotbed for organizing drives in St. Paul.

Ellen’s Beauty Shop, located on Cedar Street downtown, was the target of an ongoing action staged by members of the Beauty Workers Unit, a newly formed arm of Journeymen Barbers Local 31. The Advocate reported Aug. 12 that Ellen’s initially refused to recognize the local, prompting six beauty workers to picket outside the shop and the Journeymen Barbers to pull their working member from the salon.

Perhaps after watching what happened at his neighbor’s salon, Allan Goldman, owner of the Sha-Ri beauty salon at 6th and Cedar, “intimidated his employees and compelled them to sign individual contracts with him in addition to signing a statement … in which the employees declared they were satisfied with their employer,” Local 31 reported in the The Advocate’s Aug. 26 edition.

Goldman went so far as to seek an injunction to stop picketing outside Sha-Ri. “It was set up in the complaint that pickets were intimidating prospective customers, using abusive language, blocking the entrance to the shop and in other ways interfering with the conduct of the business,” The Advocate reported.

Goldman withdrew his complaint after a judge ruled picketing could continue – provided the wording on picketers’ signs was truthful. Court battles between Sha-Ri and the union would continue, however, for the next two years.

• 50 Years Ago. The nation was mired in an “economic lag” in August 1962. Unemployment had been stuck above 5 percent for 57 consecutive months. The Union Advocate’s Aug. 23 edition trumpeted the AFL-CIO’s plan to achieve full employment: a 35-hour workweek.

The nation’s largest labor federation urged its affiliate unions to push a 35-hour workweek at the bargaining table, and called on Congress and President Kennedy to pass an “amendment to the Fair Labor Standards Act to require that all time worked in excess of 35 hours a week, in operations in interstate commerce, be paid double time.”

• 25 Years Ago. Unions representing workers at Continental Baking Co., maker of Wonder Bread, Twinkies and other products, rallied inside Minneapolis City Hall in August 1987, protesting the city’s role in the company’s decision to cease operations in the Twin Cities.

The city purchased Continental’s plant at 1200 Third Ave. South to make room for construction of the Convention Center. The company announced it would not relocate in the Twin Cities, displacing more than 100 workers, members of five local unions.

In the Aug. 24 Union Advocate, union leaders warned the decision would impact the freshness of Continental’s products.

“We want people to realize this is a fresh product made here in Minnesota,” said Bakery Local 22 steward Dave Bentley, who handed out Twinkies to the large group at the rally. “If they close the plant down it won’t be made fresh here. It will be made in another state.”

• 10 Years Ago. The Minneapolis Convention Center hosted 3,500 delegates to the American Postal Workers Union’s biennial convention in August 2002. When Vice President Dick Cheney dropped into town to help Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Pawlenty raise money at the Hilton Hotel, most of those delegates were waiting to greet him.

“Postal workers engulfed the sidewalks around the block and across the street from the Hilton, chanting ‘Cheney No! Union Yes!’ and ‘Cheney is a crook!’” Union Advocate intern Hannah Clark reported. “In a point missed by most media reports, the protesters outside clearly outnumbered the guests inside.”

• 5 Years Ago. Among the 13 people killed when the Interstate 35-W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis collapsed Aug 1, 2007, was Greg Jolstad, a member of Operating Engineers Local 49 working to resurface the bridge at the time it collapsed. Members of AFSCME and the Laborers also were working on the bridge that day.

In the days that followed the disaster, union leaders joined the chorus of voices calling on policy makers to reevaluate the public’s level of investment in infrastructure.

“It’s been talked about for years – something’s going to happen like a bridge falls down,” said Jim Brady, president of the Laborers District Council of Minnesota and North Dakota. “It’s not popular to spend money on this stuff. It tends to get ignored. Then something like this happens and you can’t ignore it.”

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