Minneapolis Park Board employees strike for the first time

Hundreds of park workers in Minneapolis went on strike on Thursday – the first strike in the park system’s 140-year history.

After seven months of collective bargaining, about 100 union members and supporters gathered in northeast Minneapolis on Thursday for a rally and demonstration, kicking off what could be a week-long strike.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board made its “last, best and final offer” on Monday before the labor contract expires on Tuesday.

Local 363 of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) said it had not reached a tentative agreement on any of its proposals, including improvements to health care, safety procedures and wage increases.

“These are not unreasonable demands. These are basic rights that every working person is entitled to,” says AJ Lange, an arborist who is now executive director of Local 363, a union that represents more than 200 employees and over 100 seasonal workers.

The park administration’s last offer was a 10.25 percent pay increase over three years plus two market adjustments for 13 positions.

“That would barely catch us up,” Lange said, adding that workers’ wages have fallen 10 percent over the past three years due to rising inflation. “We don’t want to get rich. We’re just trying to make ends meet. We want a fair share of the work we do so we can afford to live in the city we’re responsible for.”

He added that the park administration has proposed concessions such as overtime restrictions that would harm workers.

In a statement, Park Board spokeswoman Robin Smothers said Park Board leadership believes its proposals are reasonable and comparable to eight other Park Board employee collective bargaining agreements. Park Board leadership “believes it is extremely important that employee wages and benefits are fair and competitive across the organization,” she added.

The parks department has previously said its resources are limited, especially given declining property tax revenues. If employees decide not to show up for work during the strike, they will have to continue striking for the duration of the strike until the agreement is ratified, Smothers said.

She added that the park administration has plans to adjust maintenance work to minimize the impact of the strike on park visitors. Park closures are not planned.

The union plans to strike outside the parks every day through Wednesday and during the long Fourth of July holiday weekend, one of the busiest times of the year for park visitors.

“We are the heart of our parks,” said Anthony Smith, an arborist. “We fight… we strike because we deserve better.”

Democratic U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar of Minneapolis joined city and legislative leaders at the rally on Thursday to express their support.

“We know they don’t just get to No. 1,” Omar said of Minneapolis parks, which often top national lists. “There’s a lot of effort, a lot of maintenance and work, sweat and tears that go into it. And all of you are the reason for that.”