MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and union leaders with Local 363 have reached a tentative agreement that could end a contentious strike that has stretched out for weeks.
On Thursday around 4:00 p.m., both sides started a mediation session at the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services in Saint Paul. Friday morning a union spokesperson told KARE 11 that a tentative deal has been reached, but some "loose ends" are being tied up. She expects an announcement with more details on the tentative agreement sometime Friday.
Later Friday morning, the tentative deal was confirmed by MPRB spokesperson Dawn Sommers, who said the two sides are back at the bargaining table to finalize details about Local 363 union members returning to work.
After a contentious and loud Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board meeting Wednesday night, it looked like both sides were far apart on a deal.
This theme of contention continued Thursday morning when members of Local 363 hand-delivered a petition to leaders at the Minneapolis Park Board that they say contained nearly 2,000 signatures.
Leaders say the petition supports a no-confidence vote for the park board and Superintendent Al Bangoura.
“This vote of no confidence is due to their inability to resolve this labor dispute,” Local 363 business manager AJ Lange said during a press conference Thursday morning.
Again, it may look contentious, but after talking to both sides individually, it appears a deal could happen soon.
"I think we're 100% of the way there — if they recognize it,” Lange says.
Lange says the union is willing to approve the park board's offer of a 10.25% wage increase over the next three years and a $1.75 market adjustment for certain job titles.
"We have an agreement on wages. We've agreed to 16 of their language proposals,” Lange says.
Both sides say the only sticking points now are three provisions in the contract that focus on the number of union stewards the union can have, how workers are compensated when they have to fill in for a manager, and annual performance reviews.
"This is all new language that is just unacceptable,” Lange argues.
The park board disagrees, arguing all three provisions are standard and are in place with all eight of their other labor contracts.
"There are claims that we are using anti-labor and union-busting tactics and that is not true and it's certainly not our intent,” Minneapolis Park Board spokesperson Dawn Sommers says.
“All of this is to try and get things in alignment. It’s best business for the organization. It’s best for the employees and that’s what we are still stuck on.”
Union leaders say a vote could happen as early as Friday afternoon, but a spokesperson says it’s more likely that leaders would give members the weekend to consider the new contract and then schedule a vote early next week.