Teachers, education support professionals with MPS begin voting Wednesday on new contracts

By KSTP

Minneapolis teachers, ESPs to vote on new contracts Wednesday

The vote comes after union members from both groups threatened to strike after demanding better wages and benefits.

Teachers and para-educators at Minneapolis Public Schools are set to begin voting Wednesday on new contracts with the school district.

This comes after members from both groups in the union threatened to strike.

Teachers had been asking for a 16% pay raise over two years, but district officials said they couldn’t afford that number.

After weeks of negotiations, new details of that agreement show teachers will be getting a 4% raise the first year and a 5% increase the second year.

Teachers also gained an hourly flat rate increase from $25 to $30 an hour.

Union leaders also say the agreement includes workload relief for special educators and a reduced calendar. The agreement comes at a time when the district faces a $110 million budget deficit, with layoffs of several positions still on the table.

District leaders saying the new negotiated contracts likely mean that deficit will grow.

However, union members say this is the highest raise they’ve seen in over 25 years.

“Those hopes were met. That doesn’t mean our work is done. We have a lot more fight in us, but right now is a time to celebrate,” said Brionna Harder, a lead negotiator for Minneapolis Federation of Teachers.

Details for the contract with ESPs will be released once it is approval.

Voting by union members will happen through Friday. If contracts are approved, they will then go to the school board for final approval next week.