Target Field concession workers officially walk out over wages in a historic strike before Twins and Dodgers game Monday.
Hundreds of Delaware North stadium employees launched an unfair labor practice strike during one of the Twins most well attended games against the LA Dodgers Monday night.
WCCO's Taylor Rivera was outside Target Field where a massive picket line formed near Gate 34 where workers are demanding higher wages, among other things in a dispute with employer Delaware North.
The move marked what organizers are calling the first major league sports stadium strike in Minnesota history.
One of the suite attendants, Roxy, told WCCO that she hates seeing fans being put in the middle of the disagreement.
"I've known them for 17 years now," she says. "They're like family to me, and I am to them. I know that. It sucks that they have to be in the middle of this."
The walkout comes just ahead of another scheduled bargaining session where both sides are set to return to the negotiating table in downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday.
Adam Schreifels, has worked as a bartender at Target Field for a decade and says they are demanding increased pay and employer-contributed health insurance pools to cover high deductibles.
"We're not asking Delaware North to pay the whole bill," he says. "Just contribute to the pool like a good employer would do, you know? Right now I pay out of pocket $350, which doesn't sound crazy until you look at my deductible, which is crazy, $14,000."
The potential expansion of the walkout will be discussed at the negotiating table today.
The Twins again host the Dodgers on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday with LA star Shohei Ohtani pitching, which is expected to be among the biggest crowds of the season at Target Field.
Delaware North officials said ahead of Monday's game that fans shouldn't expect disruptions to concessions operations, and booths will be staffed with temporary workers, recent hires, nonprofit partners, managers and other staff. Reports from the ballpark on Monday seem to show that there were no major issues with concessions, despite the strike.
The Twins did lose 2-1 to the Dodgers, despite another home run from Byron Buxton in the 1st inning. Ohtani and Freddie Freeman homered for LA.
Workers walked off the job prior to the Twins-Dodgers game at Target Field Monday
Workers walked off the job prior to the Twins-Dodgers game at Target Field Monday
