Results of a strike authorization vote by University of Minnesota employees will be announced Monday afternoon.
1,500 employees responsible for ground maintenance, food preparation and building cleanings among other services off the job want university officials to address poverty wages, chronic understaffing, and discrimination.
Brian Aldes is the principal officer and secretary/-treasurer for Teamsters Local 320, the union representing the workers.
“COVID-19 and the Great Resignation, taught us that workers don’t have to put up with this crap anymore,” Aldes says. “Workers have been empowered to stand up for what they believe is right.”
Aldes says they surveyed over 400 current and former union members at the university. 62% reported not earning enough money to meet their monthly living expenses and nearly 12% reported experiencing homelessness at least once while employed at the University of Minnesota.
“It’s disgusting when a worker goes to work, and is earning a wage below $16 an hour, can’t afford to access their healthcare benefits, can’t afford to pay for rent, can barely eat, can’t afford to live in the community the University of Minnesota campuses are located in so they have to commute, then they’re forced to pay for parking if they live in the Twin Cities,” explains Aldes.
One of the priorities for food service workers at the University of Minnesota is guaranteed year-round work. Many of those jobs only run about nine months according to Aldes.
“As we all know, our living expenses don’t last nine months a year,” Aldes told WCCO’s Mark Freie.
October 22 is the earliest date workers could go on strike if authorization is approved. The 1,500 employees began voting September 26 and the vote ended Friday.
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