Admin, service faculty at 7 Minnesota State universities authorize strike

Administrative and service faculty at seven Minnesota State universities have voted to strike if a new deal isn’t reached through mediation.

Teamsters Local 320, the union representing the Minnesota State University Association of Administrative and Service Faculty, says 97.5% of the 800 faculty members at the seven universities approved a strike.

The seven universities are Bemidji State, Metro State, Minnesota State Mankato, Moorhead State, St. Cloud State, Southwest Minnesota State and Winona State.

The unionized faculty members work in areas like admissions, financial aid, housing, health services, registration, course scheduling, activities and event planning, teaching and more.

Union officials add that all students come in contact with the faculty at some point in their journeys, and the faculty members are “vital for student success and institutional success.”

The union is expected to discuss its next steps in state mediation on Friday.