Duluth’s snowplow drivers, others in large union authorize strike, citing ‘crushing’ workloads

DULUTH – The union representing the city of Duluth’s largest body of employees has voted to strike amid stalled negotiations with administration, a move last made by the unit 17 years ago.

Nearly 500 workers are part of AFSCME Local 66, including snowplow drivers, inspectors and workers for utilities, libraries, parks and gas and waterline maintenance.

Union officials said at a Wednesday news conference that they rejected the city administration’s “insulting” Nov. 26 settlement offer.

Detailing unfilled positions and mandatory overtime, Local 66 President Wendy Wohlwend said the unit provides core city services but “is asked to do far more with much less,” handling “unsustainable” workloads.

The union is seeking an 8% market adjustment to its three-year contract. The city has offered a 1% increase for the first year and a total of 6% over the duration, Wohlwend said. The union disputes the numbers provided by the city, which said it offered increases ranging from 13.5% for all members up to 21.5% for those eligible, over the course of the contract.

Wohlwend said that while the police and fire departments have received market adjustments to wages without concessions, the city has proposed a lesser amount for Local 66 while also demanding concessions.

City administration responded via a statement, noting the settlement offer came after 14 hours of mediation. Spokeswoman Kelli Latuska said negotiations started in late July.

“The city has been at the table for nearly five months and remains at the table,” she said.

Another mediation session has been scheduled for Jan. 6.

Union leaders said that a week after last year’s election, then Mayor-elect Roger Reinert promised workers he would fight to implement competitive wages based on market analysis. They say data shows an adjustment of 8% to 12% is needed.

Reinert “campaigned on a promise to prioritize core services,” union co-chair Shawn Eastman said. “We are those core services. You promised to make Duluth the employer of choice. Words matter. Promises matter.”

Eastman said workers at the city’s water plant are dealing with 12-hour shifts six days a week. Across the unit, about 7% of positions are open, she said.

Workers across all unit departments, including snow plow operators, “continue to face crushing workloads due to unfilled vacancies and non-competitive wages,” a union news release says.

City Councilor Mike Mayou attended the union news conference in support.

The council previously stepped in to award market adjustments to police and fire units, he said, “and throughout the pandemic, AFSCME has been kind of forgotten or left behind in that sense. So, I think it’s important that as we move forward, all of our workers across the city are considered with that same dignity and respect.”

Councilors have been aware of the possibility of a strike, he said, and some had wanted to propose a similar increase in the early fall during budget talks. There wasn’t enough support to bring it forward, Mayou said.

If an agreement isn’t reached, workers could strike by mid-January, after a 10-day cooling-off period.