The votes are in from the first Teamsters Local 320 union election in 25 years.
Teamsters Local 320 represents public employees in Minnesota. Local 320 has approximately 9,000 members in Minnesota, 1,500 of whom work at the University.
Sue Mauren was elected secretary-treasurer, or principal executive officer, of Local 320 in elections that began in October. The results were announced Saturday.
Mauren ran with a slate of candidates against slates of candidates calling themselves the Clean Team and the Rank and File Slate. All of the slates represented the same basic ideals but believed they could provide different leadership styles, said Bob Bryant, Local 320 member.
The slates comprised candidates for secretary-treasurer, president, vice-president and recording secretary as well as trustees.
“We felt we were the experienced team,” Mauren said. “We are continuing to meet the challenges ahead of us.”
University vending mechanic and member of Local 320 Ken Sanders said that he hopes for the best with the new slate in power.
“Things are so goofed up with the union,” Sanders said. “We haven’t had much support from them at all.”
Local 320 has seen internal dissent in the past. Last spring, a vote for delegates to an international convention had to be retaken after losing candidates claimed that Mauren and her slate used union time and resources to promote their campaign.
In the second vote, however, Mauren candidates once again won all ten positions.
Sanders also said he hopes that with new leadership in office, the problems will be smoothed over.
Members of the Teamsters union, which is affiliated with he AFL-CIO, will be voting in the next month for national AFL-CIO leadership.