Teamsters cite ‘shady business practices’ at Finish Line Express

MAPLE GROVE – Heartbreaking, gutless and dishonest were among the ways workers, union leaders and high-ranking elected officials described a Roseville trucking firm’s decision to withhold pay from 90 members of Teamsters Local 120 after abruptly closing the week of Thanksgiving. Out-of-work Teamsters staged a rally last night outside Finish Line Express, a Maple Grove-based […]

Photos: Picket lines go up as 5,000 Allina nurses begin strike

Nearly 5,000 nurses employed by Allina Health began a seven-day strike this morning, setting up picket lines outside five metro-area facilities. In downtown St. Paul, well over 200 nurses and their supporters blanketed the sidewalk outside United Hospital in red, the Minnesota Nurses Association’s official color. Picketers put up cheers as nurses finishing the night […]

Striking janitors: ‘We do the dirty work, we deserve a better wage’

Union janitors are setting up picket lines across the Twin Cities today, raising the stakes in their fight to win a $15 minimum wage and address alarming workload issues. The one-day strike over unfair labor practices will impact nearly 200 office buildings in the area before the day is done, according to Local 26 of […]

In victory for staff, charter acknowledges workers’ union rights – in three languages

Staff at Community School of Excellence in St. Paul, still fighting for a first contract more than a year after organizing their union, have compelled Superintendent Mo Chang to acknowledge her administration infringed on workers’ legally protected rights on the job. The admission comes in a notice to all employees, signed by Chang, affirming CSE […]

Law judge rules North Memorial violated labor law, orders hospital to reinstate fired worker

North Memorial Medical Center illegally fired one worker and unlawfully attempted to block others from participating in a campaign to fight staffing cuts and protect patient safety at the Robbinsdale hospital, an administrative law judge ruled Friday. Acting on behalf of the National Labor Relations Board, Judge Christine Dibble upheld charges of unfair labor practices […]

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 […]

Talk organizing rule changes with local NLRB director April 7

The Minneapolis-based regional director of the National Labor Relations Board will discuss rule changes set to take effect next month that will modernize and streamline union organizing elections. Regional Director Marlin Osthus will appear at an informal discussion on how the new rules will impact workers, unions and employers April 7 at 10 a.m. at […]