Thousands of students and employees at five University of Minnesota campuses and research facilities may have the start of their school year interrupted, as members of Teamsters Local 320 have now filed their notice of intent to strike.
According to the union, which represents service workers, a strike could begin on Aug. 20 after a mandated 10-day cool-off period. A vote to authorize a strike was held in late July, and 97% of service workers at the university approved the matter.
The last contract with service workers at the University of Minnesota ended on June 30. Union officials say the latest proposed contract includes a 2.5% wage increase for the first year and 1% for the following two years. The contract would be in effect for two and a half years, and union leaders add that it would not only allow the school system to pay new hires higher starting wages than current staff in the same position but also increase health care costs by 10%…