The two largest public workers unions in Minnesota said Friday they have reached tentative agreements with the state that preserve wage increases and avoid higher health insurance costs for employees.
The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and AFSCME Council 5 together represent more than 35,000 state employees and have been jointly negotiating new two-year contracts with the state.
In a news release, AFSCME Executive Director Bart Andersen said his union’s pending deal was reached after more than 200 hours of negotiating and the “direct result of the incredible strength, solidarity, and determination shown by our union members.”
“Because we stood together, we beat back disastrous proposals that would have gutted our health insurance, frozen our wages, and cost our families thousands every year,” Andersen said. “We didn’t just hold the line — we advanced it!”
A spokesperson for Minnesota Management and Budget, which negotiates with AFSCME and MAPE, declined to comment until the contracts are finalized.
Minnesota legislators recently approved major budget cuts to help address a looming state deficit that could soon worsen if Congress passes proposed cuts to Medicaid.
But for now, the unions said they scored significant wins for their members, repelling the state’s proposed health insurance changes and securing across-the-board wage increases of 1.5% in 2025 and 1.75% in 2026.
MAPE also said its deal doesn’t eliminate paid parental leave, which the union said the state initially proposed.
