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Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board approves union worker contract, ending strike

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Published  August 7, 2024 8:44pm CDT
Minneapolis
FOX 9

Minneapolis parks workers begin week-long strike

Minneapolis parks workers have begun their week-long strike on the Fourth of July. FOX 9's Tim Blotz has more.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A more than three-week-long strike has come to an end after the Minneapolis Parks and Recreational Board (MPRB) approved a new contract with Minneapolis parks union workers on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Minneapolis park workers approve new contract

Contract details

LIUNA Local 363, the union that represents around 300 of the striking park workers, has said its members sought both increased wages and worker protection.

Through back-and-forth negotiations, accusations were leveled by MPRB officials who said picketers threatened workers during their strike.

The union announced the strike ahead of the Fourth of July holiday and extended it throughout negotiations.

The MPRB officially approved the new contract at the Aug. 7 board meeting.

Mpls park workers extend strike indefinitely

Minneapolis park workers walked off the job on the Fourth of July for a week-long strike, but the union says they are going to continue fighting and extend their strike indefinitely, adding they demand contract negotiations from the park board.

Here is what is included in the new contract:

Wages

  • 10.25% cost-of-living adjustment over three years.
  • $1.75/hour market adjustment.
  • $2 million in wages for workers.
  • Wages will increase by $5.42 an hour or $11,302 a year on average by 2026.

Workers rights

  • Protected existing steward rights.
  • Maintained grievance process.
  • Kept existing drug testing standards.

Worker benefits

  • Expanded contract rights around sick and bereavement leave.
  • Protected fair overtime distribution.
  • Kept Forestry transfer rights.

Safety

  • "Harmful" language taken out.
  • Workers are protected from reporting requirements and targeting.

Seasonal employees

  • Kept union rights for all seasonal workers.
  • Protected seasonal full-time schedules.