The University of Minnesota’s Teamsters Local 320, a worker’s union chapter based in Minneapolis, announced Thursday morning that the union has filed an intent to strike with the University as labor negotiations and discussions surrounding a new bargaining agreement have stagnated. 

The union, made up of over 1,400 University service workers across all five University campuses, voted to allow a strike on July 24, with 97% of voting members in favor. The union announced in a press release Thursday plans to strike beginning Aug. 20, unless the University agrees to restart negotiations. 

Jackson Kerr, the lead negotiator for the union, said the Teamsters’s negotiations with the University have stagnated, as the University has refused to address key issues. This refusal is what has pushed the union to begin the process of striking, which Kerr said is an outcome nobody at the University wants.

“Stuff is going to shut down immediately if we go on strike,” Kerr said. “It’s going to cause real operational problems for the University, during one of the most important times of the year, which is move-in week, so it’s in everybody’s interest to avoid that outcome.”

According to the Teamsters’ press release, the University hasn’t addressed the undocumented harassment of Chartwells Higher Ed, the University’s food service operator, which was one key issue for the union during negotiations. 

“Since 2000, Compass Group has paid almost $35 million in fines and penalties,” the Teamsters said in their press release. “Including $9.6 million in employment-related offenses and $843,755 in penalties for employment discrimination.”

During their Aug. 6 meeting, the University declined the final negotiations with the labor union. These actions, Kerr said, are forcing the hands of the union.

“We did ask the University for their very final offer for us to review, but the University refused to give that to us,” Kerr said. “Our next step would be to take a legal step, which is to file our type of strike with the state’s Bureau of Mediation Services.” 

If the strike continues as planned, the University will lose hundreds of essential food service and custodial workers. However, Kerr said that there’s still an opportunity for the University to prevent the strike.

“It will depend on that because if we can get a deal, we won’t go on strike,” Kerr said. “In the event that we can’t reach an agreement as soon as that, we would go on strike is move-in week.”  

The University’s Office of Human Resources, who handles labor negotiations with unions, said it will not comment publicly on active discussions with the Teamsters.

“The University respects and honors the confidential nature of these discussions and is disappointed that Teamsters Local 320 has not taken the same approach based on their recent communications,” the Office of Human Resources said on their website. “Because of this commitment, the University will not be publicly responding to the union’s most recent mischaracterization of the University’s position(s).” 

The University’s Office of Public Relations, however, did offer a statement to the Minnesota Daily:

“Teamsters Local 320 notified the University of Minnesota on August 7 of the union’s intent to strike.

The University has negotiated and will continue to negotiate in good faith with Teamsters 320 and made efforts to reach an agreement on an updated contract since negotiations began on March 27. To help resolve key issues during negotiations, the University requested mediation through the Bureau of Mediation Services on June 10. The University participated in mediation sessions with the Teamsters on July 24 and August 6.

The union and broader University community are aware of the financial challenges that higher education faces in the near and long term. The University is not immune to those challenges. The University has plans in place should a strike occur and is fully committed to minimizing any disruption this action might cause for our students, faculty, staff, and community.”

Even with strained discussions, many Teamsters say they would be willing to accept a reasonable offer from the University. Beatrice Prevost, a mechanic at the University, said the labor union would still take an offer from the University if it aligned with their priorities. 

“If the U made a proposal that met some of our core issues, then we would be happy to accept it,” Prevost said. 

Prevost believes the University doesn’t see the significance of their workers. 

“I’m becoming less confident that the U is seeing value in their own workforce,” Prevost said. 

Christy O’Connor, a steward at Teamsters and a senior building and grounds worker at the University, said that the labor union workers are essential to the University, as they do the little things on campuses to ensure the University runs smoothly. 

“The Teamsters make that place run,” O’Connor said. “We’re the essential workers and we pick up the garbage, we clean the buildings, we do all the building mechanics, we shovel, we garden, we do all the printing and we feed the children.” 

O’Connor added she is frustrated with the University, as the labor union has been trying to negotiate with them since last spring. 

Marissa Bremer Rorak, another Teamsters member, said that the University isn’t listening to the needs of the labor union. Rorak feels they’re ready to negotiate with them, if they have an offer they can accept, but they haven’t seen a willingness from the University to negotiate reasonably. 

“If they want to come with a legitimate offer where they acknowledge our humanity and our physical needs and the fact that we live in a material world and we can talk,” Rorak said. “We’re always going to be open to negotiation and as communication but we feel very strongly that that’s been shut down on the other side and there have not been actual efforts.”

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.