University of Minnesota reaches tentative agreement with service workers

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A tentative agreement is in place between the University of Minnesota and a union representing hundreds of service workers at the university, who were set to go on strike this week.

According to Teamsters Local 320, which represents about 1,500 service workers on Twin Cities and Duluth campuses, including custodians, maintenance, and food service workers among others, the agreement was reached on Saturday.

Earlier this month, the 1,500 workers voted "overwhelmingly" to authorize a strike. Last week, the union announced a four-day strike starting Wednesday, October 26, if no deal was reached.

In a statement Sunday morning, Teamsters Local 320 said the tentative agreement came after three days of state-mandated mediation. The union says the deal comes with "wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments to extended work opportunities for our seasonal staff." The wage increases include a starting wage of $20 per hour, the union adds, along with guarantees that year-round workers will receive at least 30 hours per week during the summer.

The agreement still needs to be approved by union members. A vote on the deal will be held in the next two weeks, the union says. For the time being, next week's strike has been called off.