St. Paul, Minneapolis teacher unions vote on striking; results expected Thursday night

Members of the St. Paul and Minneapolis teachers unions are voting whether to authorize a strike and the results of those votes could be released as soon as Thursday night.

St. Paul teachers start voting Thursday afternoon, while Minneapolis teachers began voting earlier this week.

Leaders in both districts have told parents if teachers walk off the job, classes will be canceled during the entire duration of the strike, and that missed time will have to be made up during spring break, or this summer.

Union representatives say they plan to release the results of their votes either Thursday night or early Friday.

In St. Paul, teachers are asking for increased pay, maintenance of smaller class sizes and mental health support. The St. Paul School Board has approved a 1.5% raise for its 7,000 employees, but the union is asking for 2.5%. School district officials say they don’t have the budget to support the union’s demands.

“It is a short-term sacrifice… we’re willing to go that far because we know the best things that we are fighting for that are valuable to our students’ future,” said Leah VanDassor, the president of the St. Paul Federation of Educators.

Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, the union is also asking for increased pay and smaller class sizes, but is also asking for more COVID-19 protocols. District officials say they are committed to compensating employees with a salary package offer of $20 million over two years, but says the union has requested a two-year increase that totals more than $110 million.

“Striking is a last resort – we haven’t done this move, taking the vote, in 50 years – not in my lifetime. People know – that’s 202 people know – that our students can not continue on the path that our leaders are leading them on,” said Greta Callahan, the president of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers.

If a strike is authorized in either district, there would be a 10-day cool off period before anything could actually happen.

Mediation will continue during that time.

The unions plan to hold a joint virtual news conference at 7:30 a.m. Friday after voting results are out.