Park workers reject latest contract offer from Minneapolis Park Authority

Striking park workers in Minneapolis overwhelmingly rejected the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board’s latest collective bargaining agreement offer Friday night.

Liz Xiong, a spokeswoman for Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 363, said 91 percent of votes cast rejected the offer. Just under half of the union’s nearly 200 full-time, dues-paying members turned out to vote at Minnehaha Regional Park.

Xiong said Friday’s voting location was chosen because the park administration insisted that the union put the latest offer to a vote and several union members were already present for a demonstration at Minnehaha Falls.

“The park administration has no authority to regulate or influence the way a local union does its work,” Xiong said.

The strike entered its third week on Thursday after negotiations between the two sides failed again on Tuesday evening. Workers demanded higher wages, improved benefits and safety measures.

Xiong said the two sides had agreed on wage adjustments, but the park administration’s offer still contained several clauses that she described as “anti-worker.” One of those clauses, she said, would allow management to withhold incremental salary increases for employees at its discretion.

“That defeats the whole purpose of a contract negotiation,” she said.

The park administration said Friday that 46% of park employees did not work during the strike.