For Immediate Release: August 30, 2007
Contacts: Phyllis Walker, President AFSCME 3800 (clerical), 612-251-9987
Barb Bezat, President AFSCME 3937 (technical), 612-379-3933
Denise Osterholm, President AFSCME 3801 (UMD) 218-726-6312
Rhonda Jennen, President AFSCME 3260 (health care) 801-860-4726
Hundreds Rally in Support of a fair contract for University of Minnesota Workers
300 union and community
members rallied on Northrop Mall today in support of University of
Minnesota AFSCME workers. The rally showed enthusiastic support for
AFSCME workers from students, faculty, elected officials, unions and
community members.
Phyllis Walker, AFSCME
3800 president and a rally speaker said, "Every public employer in the
State of Minnesota gave workers at least 3.25% plus steps in their
current contract. Some gave 3.5%. The fact is we need more than that
just to catch up from the backward slide in the last two contracts.
Why does the University think it can accept a 12% funding increase from
the people of Minnesota while continuing to push front line staff into
economic hardship.
Gary Schiff, Minneapolis
City Council Ward 9, spoke at the rally and said, "I am proud to be a
former member of AFSCME Local 3800 and I stand with you. By standing
together you are standing up for economic justice for all workers and I
applaud you.
In a written statement to rally participants, State Senator Sandra Pappas
wrote "It is crucial to the success of the University to maintain and
attract quality employees by providing a competitive wage. It is a
disappointing fact that employees who are hired to day make less (in
real wages) than an employee who started five years ago. Not only is
this wage increase important now, but it is also important to future
living wage jobs at the University."
State Senator Patricia
Torres Ray echoed those sentiments and added, I support you here and I
support you in the Senate. I will ask the tough questions when the
University comes to the legislature this session. We fund education to
invest in our children but we understand that we are also investing in
the livelihoods of workers who help make that education possible.
Contract negotiations
between U of M AFSCME and University Administration broke down for the
second time yesterday afternoon. In an effort to send a message that
they were serious about coming to a settlement agreement, U of M AFSCME
reduced their wage proposal by 3%. University Management responded
with no movement from their August 10 offer of 2.25% for clerical
workers and 2.5% for health care workers. The University proposed a
possible one time lump sum payment for workers at the top of the
range. Since lump sum payments do nothing to impact a workers overall
standard of living, negotiations were finished by noon. There are no
further negotiations scheduled before the September 5 strike date.