Unionized Robbinsdale teachers to protest expired contracts, budget cuts on Wednesday

Union members with the Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers are set to protest against district budget cuts on Wednesday evening.

Staff that belong to the union say they will protest at 6:30 p.m. during a closed-session meeting of the school board to discuss labor negotiation strategies.

Amid the Robbinsdale Public School District’s decision to reduce the annual budget by $17 million, union members say they have been waiting for eight bargaining items to be resolved as they work under expired contracts.

The Robbinsdale Federation of Teachers’ demands include improvement of wages, increased healthcare coverage and the prioritization of hiring and retaining staff. Mediation talks are set to happen in February.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to the school district for a response and will update this story if one is received.