ANOKA, Minn. — Editors Note: The above video first aired on Dec. 20, 2023.
The teacher's union representing educators in Minnesota's largest school district has reached a tentative deal for a new contract with Anoka-Hennepin Schools.
Anoka Hennepin Education Minnesota (AHEM), the union, said the deal was reached after an 18-hour negotiation session that ended around 3 a.m. Saturday morning.
The school district, Anoka Hennepin Schools, confirmed a tentative contract was reached in a separate release.
In an email to AHEM members, the negotiations team thanked members for their support during the process. "Please know that this agreement could not have been reached without all the hard work that each and every one of you put into this contract campaign over the last couple of months," said the negotiators.
Neither party specified what the new contract includes, but previous proposals from the parties indicated they were far apart on a new deal.
- Previous proposal from AHEM: 18.61% increase (K-12) and 20.86% (ABE/ECFE); $66 million in new money. Increases in salary range from 8.34% to 31.61% over 2 years. (October 2023)
- Previous proposal from the district: 8.17% increase (K-12) and 8.9% (ABE/ECFE); $29.6 million in new money. Increases in salary range from 4.81% to 17.2% over 2 years. (November 2023)
The tentative deal will head to the AHEM executive board for approval before the union's members vote on whether or not to accept the offer.
A union rally scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday has been canceled, according to AHEM.
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