Minneapolis teachers union rallies at district headquarters

Hundreds of educators gathered before the Minneapolis Public Schools board meeting Tuesday to rally for higher wages for teachers and support staff working in the district — nearly two years after the city’s teachers went on strike.

The teachers chapter of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers has held 11 negotiation sessions with the district and last month requested a state mediator in its contract negotiations. The previous contract expired at the end of June.

The union is asking for an 8.5% salary increase for teachers in the first year of the next contract and 7.5% in the second — raises that its leaders say will stabilize staff turnover. But district leaders are warning of a fiscal crisis and a $121 million hole in the general fund when one-time pandemic relief funds dry up in the fall.

Union leaders said they’d hoped to wrap up negotiations before Lisa Sayles-Adams became the district’s new superintendent last week. Tuesday marked Sayles-Adams’ first school board meeting. As she shared about her first week in the district, a group of educators outside the board room (which was at capacity) continued yelling chants, including “What do we want? A contract! When do we want it? Now!”

Teachers contracts across the state have taken longer to settle this year and more districts than usual have turned to help from a state mediator.

The St. Paul Federation of Educators, the union representing teachers in St. Paul Public Schools, is set to vote Thursday night on whether to authorize a strike after months of negotiations. Its members are also pushing for higher wages and increased mental health support in schools.

Even if members vote to approve a strike, union leaders would still need to decide that a strike was necessary, set a date and notify the district. State law requires the union to give the district at least 10 days’ notice before the first day of the strike.