MINNESOTA, USA — Beginning at 6 a.m. Friday, workers from FirstService Residential will be picketing in Minneapolis at 12th and Nicollet.
The Unfair Labor Practice strike began Thursday evening.
According to a statement from the group, this comes after they voted to authorize the strike back in September. They previously set a Oct. 11 action deadline for their employer to address the ULP issues their employees are facing.
"I am joining this ULP strike because people keep saying we should 'get a better job,' but this can and should be a good job. Someone has to do this critical work supporting our residential communities in Minneapolis," said FirstService Residential employee, Lena Roth. She said the time for the company to stop ULPs and allow a fair process for a union election that provides them a seat at the table is now.
Employees from the company said they have been fighting for these changes since June.
The group plans to strike at seven of the biggest condos around the metro. Including:
· 1200 on the Mall
· Centre Village
· Grant Park Condos
· Bridgewater
· The River Towers
· Riverview
· Gallery Tower
The strike goes through Saturday.
This strike comes as Gov. Walz joins a roundtable with Minnesota Union and Not-Yet-Union workers talking about the importance of unions and livable wages.
When reached for comment, a spokesperson from FirstService Residential Minnesota released the following statement to KARE 11:
SEIU Local 26 has no legal standing to represent the employees of FirstService Residential Minnesota under the law. Back in May, SEIU Local 26 contacted us to make a proposal to waive our employees’ rights to vote on union representation through procedures established by the National Labor Relations Board, which we will not agree to.
Since then, SEIU Local 26 has resorted to pressure tactics, including inaccurate media statements and today’s protests, of which only a small number of employees participated. Our company will continue to comply with the law and encourage employees to ask questions and obtain the information necessary from sources they trust to make employment decisions that are right for them and their families.
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