Pipefitters’ service day keeps heat on for homeowners in need

September 24, 2024 by

Members of Pipefitters Local 455 and Local 539 gathered for a photo after the Heat’s On volunteer breakfast in Roseville.

Union pipefitters on Saturday carried forward their fall tradition of providing free furnace repairs and inspections to senior, low-income and disabled homeowners in the Twin Cities.

St. Paul-based Steamfitters Pipefitters Local 455 and Minneapolis-based Local 539 team up for the annual service day, Project Heat’s On, each year. Union volunteers provide service to homeowners identified by two Community Action Partnership agencies, and union contractors, members of the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association, cover the cost of materials needed for the repairs.

The volunteer effort, started in 1986, has since given back over $4 million in volunteer work hours and repairs to nearly 8,500 Minnesota households, reducing their energy costs and preventing heat failure.

Local 455 journeyman Brian Nelson volunteered for the sixth time this year, traveling to Cottage Grove with fellow Local 455 member Ray Bear, a four-time Heat’s On volunteer. At their first of two scheduled service calls, they tuned up a recent retiree’s furnace.

Brian Nelson (L) and Ray Bear tune up a retirees’ furnace in Cottage Grove during Heat’s On 2024.

“I just like giving back,” Nelson said. “You feel good about it. Doing this for people who need help feels better than doing it for your shop.”

Bear said union volunteers offer more than just their expertise during Heat’s On visits; they provide companionship, too.

“Talking with the customers – a lot of them don’t have a lot of resources or see a lot of visitors,” Bear said. “Providing that connection is the part that’s the best.”

That’s what Sonia Gass, executive director of Community Action Partnership of Ramsey and Washington Counties, refers to as “the human touch,” and at a breakfast before volunteers fanned out across the metro, Gass told union members that it’s an important part of the service they provide. it

She remembered tagging along with a volunteer crew that serviced the home of a retired big-band musician. “The service prodder asked him, ‘Do you play?’” Gass said. “And before you knew it, the service provider was getting an hourlong concert while he did the repairs.”

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Peterson: Let’s re-commit to keeping unions strong

September 3, 2024 by

St. Paul Regional Labor Federation President Kera Peterson is pictured speaking at the 2022 MN AFL-CIO Convention.

Unions are more popular this Labor Day than they have been in almost 60 years, and we’re seeing exciting labor organizing across Minnesota and the United States. Workers in both the public and private sector are coming together in union to fight for better wages, safer workspaces, and dignity and respect on the job. Union organizing has swept across the U.S. in recent years, as workers in every sector of our economy continue to exercise their freedom to join together in unions – at auto manufacturing plants, health care facilities, bars and restaurants, white-collar offices and beyond. Here in Minnesota, we are 356,000 union members strong and growing!

This momentum is the product of decades of worker frustration, driven by unsafe workplaces and a lack of respect and dignity on the job. It’s also driven by wages that are outpaced by the increased costs of food and housing, child care and health care. Union members know that collective action can improve things for ourselves and our families, and that our union contracts help build a stronger and more fair economy by raising standards for all workers. More than half a million U.S. workers went on strike last year, and recently negotiated collective bargaining agreements have secured large wage increases for workers in industries including construction, education, health care, manufacturing, and transit and transportation, as well as meaningful breakthroughs on non-wage issues.

Working people are actively trying to unrig the economy, which for too long has been stacked in favor of corporations and the wealthy. Meanwhile, corporate special interests are lobbying for massive tax breaks and deregulation, financing legal attacks on workers’ rights and protections, and financing candidates who will help them maintain the status quo by restricting our freedoms.

We’ve seen Project 2025, what these lobbyists are referring to as their 180-day playbook. Project 2025 includes proposals to make it easier for employers to get rid of workers’ unions mid-contract and to ban all public employee unions. It would allow states to ban labor unions, eliminate overtime protections and choose not to follow the national minimum wage. And it calls for the elimination of child labor rules that protect children from working in mines, meatpacking plants and other dangerous worksites.

They’ve shown us what they want to do to workers, and we should believe them. As a labor movement, it’s imperative that we mobilize union members to get to the polls and vote in our general election on or before Nov. 5. The progress that we’ve fought for and our future and freedom as workers are on the ballot this fall, and we should get out and vote for our labor-endorsed candidates up and down the ticket. The power of organized labor can combat the power of organized money, corporate special interests, the billionaire CEOs and anti-worker politicians who aggressively attack our fundamental freedom to have a voice on the job.

We’re excited to take on that work here at the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation. Between now and Election Day, union volunteers will be reaching out to fellow union members on the phone and at the doorstep to connect about what’s at stake in this election and which candidates share our values. Our federation will coordinate dozens of phone banks and door knocks – opportunities for union members and retirees to make a real difference this election cycle.

Organizing gives us a chance to have our voices heard and to call out the powerful both at work and at the ballot box through our free and fair elections. This Labor Day, I hope you’ll re-commit yourself to showing up for our freedoms and democracy, and that you’ll join me in this work.

– Kera Peterson is president of the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, which publishes The Union Advocate newspaper. The SPRLF brings together nearly 150 local unions representing over 50,000 union members who live or work in Ramsey, Washington, Dakota and Chisago counties.

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Four ways to show support for Allina nurses in their open-ended strike

September 3, 2016 by
Allina nurses rallied with RNs from other Twin Cities hospitals and supporters across the labor community Thursday in Minneapolis.

Allina nurses rallied with RNs from other Twin Cities hospitals and supporters across the labor community Thursday in Minneapolis.

 

Last-ditch talks between Allina nurses and management broke off early this morning after a marathon, 22-hour negotiating session failed to yield agreement on a new contract. As a result, nearly 5,000 members of the Minnesota Nurses Association plan to begin an open-ended strike Monday morning.

If picket lines go up on Labor Day, nurses will count on broad support from the community. Supporters can take action in several ways:

  • Join nurses on the picket lines. Sign up for a shift at allinastrike.com.
  • Donate to the nurses’ strike fund. Allina has already spent more fighting nurses than the $10 million it’s seeking to save annually by eliminating their insurance. To stand up to Allina and stay on the picket lines, nurses and their families will need financial support. Donate at mnnurses.org/donatestrikefund.
  • Send food, drink and other necessities to the picket lines. MNA’s point person coordinating food donations during the strike is Geri Katz. Contact her at 651-252-5510 to direct your contribution where it’s needed most.
  • Call out Allina and its corporate leadership. Take action online by tagging Allina at @allinahealth and using the hashtags #MN4RNs, #nursesneedcare2, #allinacuts and #1u. Also, use the list below to contact members of Allina’s not-for-profit board of directors, by phone or e-mail.

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Nurses and supporters signed onto an appeal for Allina to reach an agreement that works for both sides, but security at Allina's corporate headquarters refused to allow delivery.

Nurses and supporters signed onto an appeal for Allina to reach an agreement that works for both sides, but security at Allina’s corporate headquarters refused to allow delivery.

At a rally earlier this week, nurses from other Twin Cities hospitals pledged solidarity with their Allina colleagues for as long as it takes to get the contract they deserve.

“We get that this is for all of us,” HealthEast nurse Lisa Buesgens said. “This is union busting … and we’ll be next.”

“We’ll be on the line with you through thick and thin,” Methodist nurse Mary McGibbon said.

In addition to support from other nurses, several large Minnesota unions, including SEIU Healthcare, AFSCME Council 5 and Education Minnesota, have delivered notice to Allina Health that their members intend to picket alongside MNA members.

“Educators care for nurses just like you care for us,” Education Minnesota President Denise Specht said. ” We are with you as long as it takes.”

 

Peter Kaiser, a member of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota who works as a janitor at Unity Hospital, said Allina employees are behind MNA nurses. “We’re all here together to shout with one voice,” he said.
MNA is encouraging supporters to take selfies with nurses and post them on social media using the hashtag #MN4RNs. Pictured are nurses Nancy Jahnke of Mercy Hospital and Kimberly Blomberg (R) of Abbott Northwestern.

Allina management and nurses made some progress during the 22 hours they spent in negotiations, according to a press release issued by MNA today. Allina gave some ground on nurses’ demand for security officers in emergency rooms, but the provider refused to budge from its demand nurses give up their union-sponsored, low-cost health insurance plans before 2020.

“We gave it our all,” Abbott Northwestern nurse and union spokesperson Angela Becchetti said. “Nurses have offered to eventually end their two remaining healthcare plans and move into the higher cost Allina health plans with bigger out-of-pocket costs. It wasn’t enough.”

The sticking point, according to nurses, remains Allina’s refusal to give them a safety net against high-cost medical bills, as well as management’s demand for language allowing Allina to change health care plans without bargaining with nurses again.

“Nurses have been negotiating for seven months,” Becchetti said. “Nurses have gone on strike. Nurses have been willing to compromise to create an agreement that would benefit the hospitals as well as the nurses. Allina didn’t make efforts to work with us.”

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With new calendar, St. Paul firefighters make ledershosen hot

March 20, 2015 by

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St. Paul Fire Fighters Local 21 and German Fest have teamed up on a new calendar that features firefighters posed in lederhosen with traditional German props. Calendar sales will support Operation Warm, a charity that provides coats to low-income kids in St. Paul

Models include both men and women from Local 21, posing in front of scenic German backgrounds, including the Schmidt Brewery and the Church of the Assumption in St. Paul.

“I’m thankful for all the firefighters for their support, especially those who volunteered to model,” Local 21 member Colin Oglesbee said. “We are proud to be partnering with German Fest to raise awareness and money to help give low-income students in our city with warm winter coats.”

The fundraising will continue at German Fest June 19-21 at the Schmidt Brewery, where firefighters will host a game of Hammerschlagen, a nail hitting game on a stump, and Human Fussball, the popular tabletop game made large enough to have people play as the pieces.

Coats donated as a result of Local 21’s fundraising are made by members of the Service Employees International Union.

Pre-sale of the calendar is open at GermanFestMN.org.

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Bobby Kasper: We can’t afford to let complacency set in

September 26, 2014 by
Bobby Kasper

Bobby Kasper

The Boston Red Sox were 62-28 on July 19, 1978. They were on pace to win a whopping 111 games. Their bitter rivals, the New York Yankees, lagged 14 games behind in the American League East standings, a deficit that seemed too big for any team to overcome. The Red Sox were considered heavy favorites to cruise into the Major League Baseball playoffs and win the World Series.

And if the baseball season were 90 games long, they would have.

Unfortunately for long-suffering fans in Boston, the Red Sox went into a late-summer funk, while the Yankees found their groove. After New York swept a four-game series Sept. 7-10 at Fenway Park, the Red Sox’ seemingly insurmountable lead in the standings had disappeared.

In Red Sox lore, the series has become known as “The Boston Massacre,” the final turning point in a roller-coaster season. The Yankees went on to beat the Sox in a one-game playoff for the division title. They advanced to the playoffs and eventually won their 22nd World Series.

Outside New York, though, the 1978 season is forever remembered for the Red Sox’ collapse. What happened? How could the Sox blow such a large lead?

Nobody knows for sure, of course, but I wonder if complacency didn’t infect the Boston clubhouse that summer. As the wins piled up in early July, perhaps the Sox’ confidence turned into overconfidence, their intensity turned to apathy. It’s possible they thought they had nothing to worry about until the playoffs.

Union members in Minnesota who have followed the political polling may be feeling the same way the Red Sox did in 1978. In the major statewide races, both labor-endorsed candidates – Gov. Mark Dayton and Sen. Al Franken – hold double-digit leads over their opponents, according to the most recent Star Tribune Minnesota Poll.

The poll results are encouraging, but the election season is far from over. And if you think our deep-pocketed opponents – from ALEC to the Koch Brothers – are throwing in the towel, think again.

Labor-endorsed candidates for Minnesota House, meanwhile, are under fire for making progress on issues that matter to working families, like raising the minimum wage, balancing the budget responsibly and removing barriers workers faced in organizing unions. They stood with us, and it’s up to us to stand with them in November.

The ‘78 Red Sox learned World Series aren’t decided in July. We can’t afford to learn a similar lesson about elections. It’s critical that we continue to door-knock, phone bank and talk to our friends and family about the importance of voting for labor-endorsed candidates – and do it up until the polls close on Nov. 4. Click here to find out how you can get involved.

If we refuse to succumb to complacency and, instead, keep up our intensity, I’m confident we’ll be celebrating a victory Nov. 4.

– Bobby Kasper is president of the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, and a member of Laborers Local 563.

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Labor 2014 kicks off with campaign school, days of action

July 24, 2014 by

vote buttonGet the skills to make a difference this election year at the Labor 2014 Campaign School, a training opportunity for union activists, staff and potential volunteers. In the Metro Area, the training will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 6 at the Minnesota Nurses Association, 345 Randolph Ave., St. Paul.

Labor 2014 is a coordinated effort among the state’s unions to elect labor-endorsed candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot, including Gov. Mark Dayton, U.S. Sen. Al Franken and members of the Minnesota House of Representatives.

The campaign school will feature informative sessions and fun workshops designed to equip participants with the skills and knowledge they need to win this fall. Topics include why politics matter for union families, how to share the most impactful messages with co-workers and friends, organizing at the worksite and recruiting volunteers.

The metro campaign school is co-hosted by the Minnesota AFL-CIO and the St. Paul and Minneapolis regional labor federations. Click here to register, or contact St. Paul RLF Political Director Kera Peterson at 612-382-9864.

Labor 2014 Days of Action

In addition to the campaign school, Labor 2014 organizers have announced several Days of Action, when labor volunteers will make a concerted push to reach union voters on the phones and at the doors.

The first Day of Action is Thursday, Sept. 4. In the Metro, volunteers will meet at IUPAT District Council 82, 3205 Country Dr., Little Canada beginning at 4:30 p.m. Other dates include Saturday, Sept. 27 and Sunday, Oct. 19, as well as get-out-the-vote efforts leading up to Election Day, beginning Oct. 30. Monitor The Advocate or stpaulunions.org for details.

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Labor volunteers needed for United Way Action Day

July 29, 2013 by

AFL-CIO_UW-LU_lockup_4p-300x85It only takes 15 minutes to make a difference at United Way Action Day! Union members can get involved in the second metro-wide volunteer event Aug. 14 by joining the St. Paul Labor Studies and Resource Center’s Community Services team.

Union volunteers are needed at two events:

• “Speed volunteering” downtown at Ecolab Plaza, 370 Wabasha St. N, for as little as 15 minutes over the lunch hour, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• “Team challenges” in the Mall of America’s main rotunda from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Five-person teams will compete in speed volunteering races. Winners get to donate funds to an agency partner of their choice.

To sign up for either event, call 651-222-3787 or e-mail vbeebe@stpaulunions.org.

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Project HEAT’S ON assists Minnesota low-income, elderly homeowners

October 24, 2012 by

Local 455 members Robert Morin (left) and Scott Erlander volunteer during HEAT’S ON. (submitted photo)

Union pipefitters and members of the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association teamed up for the 27th consecutive year to provide free furnace inspection and repair for low-income seniors and disabled homeowners in the Twin Cities, St. Cloud, Mankato and Rochester.

HEAT’S ON (Handicapped and Elderly Assistance To Service Our Neighbors) drew 176 union volunteers Sept. 29, including members of St. Paul Pipefitters Local 455 and Minneapolis Local 539.

Together, they serviced 182 homes at a value of $91,000 to homeowners, increasing the fuel efficiency of their furnaces and reducing their exposure to carbon monoxide poisoning.

Since its inception, HEAT’S ON volunteers have worked more than 28,000 hours, donating $3 million worth of repairs and assistance to homeowners in need.

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Union volunteers make United Way Action Day a success

September 24, 2012 by

Volunteers at Ecolab Plaza. Click to view more photos from the Action Day.

Volunteers from the St. Paul Regional Labor Federation’s Labor Studies and Resource Center helped make United Way Action Day a great success, with more than 40 East Metro union members taking action in support of their community during the Aug. 22 events.

More than 30 St. Paul RLF members participated in speed volunteering activities at Ecolab Plaza during their lunch hour on Action Day. Later in the day, 10 RLF members formed two teams for the Team Challenge Volunteer event at the Mall of America. Together, they helped make United Way Action Day a success. Overall results of the volunteer event include:

  • • Doing 14,000 loads of laundry for families who don’t have the option by making 7,000 laundry kits.
  • • Keeping 88 children warm at night by creating blankets.
  • • Giving 4,000 hungry kids a healthy snack pack.
  • • Encouraging good dental hygiene by creating 5,200 dental kits for children and adults.
  • • Supporting 220 seniors’ independence by producing safety kits.
  • • Making a house a home for 100 families in transition by forming kitchen kits.
  • • Supporting 10 local nonprofits doing great work in the community with $7,500 in donations.

Part of the fun for the five-person teams at the Mall of America was the chance to give a local nonprofit a gift in their team’s name and bragging rights as one of United Way’s top volunteer groups. To win a team had to be the first to complete its speed volunteering activity.

One of the RLF’s two teams, East Metro Labor, won first place in two separate competitions. Team members chose to give their $700 prizes to the West 7th Community Center in St. Paul and to the YWCA of Minneapolis.

“The United Way Action Day brought union members and retirees together to help our local United Way agency partners and had a good time too!” said Bobby Kasper, president of the 50,000-member St. Paul Regional Labor Federation.

Find additional pictures of RLF volunteers in this photo album.

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