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The Minneapolis City Council will vote Thursday on whether to create a labor standards board, after 

 from labor groups and harsh criticism from some business owners.

If enacted, the city would create a 15-person advisory board of employers, employees and community stakeholders, such as consumers and labor policy experts. They would advise the council on labor policy in the city. 

Proponents are pitching it as a seat at the table for both workers and employers. Council member Aurin Chowdhury is one of the authors. 

“The labor standards board is about trusting workers, local businesses, employers and community stakeholders to say, ‘Hey, you’re the most impacted in this conversation. You’re the experts here,’” Chowdhury said.

While labor advocates have applauded the move, opponents have rallied for months against the idea, citing concerns that the board could lead to more regulations, and more cost for business owners.

Adam Duininck is the president of the Minneapolis Downtown Council.

“You have to be careful about adding up so much cost that it becomes prohibitive for people who want to grow and expand here,” Duininck said.

The measure up for a vote on Thursday proposes a board with five seats each for employers, employees, and other stakeholders. The board would be able to appoint subcommittees, with a similar membership makeup, to study specific industries such as child care or restaurants. 

The board would make policy recommendations to the City Council — which council members could then discuss and vote on.

Minneapolis City Council moves forward on labor standards board

Business owners, labor advocates clash over proposed Minneapolis labor standards board

Proponents say the board is a needed platform for workers and businesses to come together. 

Kenya Hodges is a preschool teacher in Minneapolis who’s been advocating for the board. She’s been working long enough that some of her first students now have their own kids who they send to her class. But she said she struggles to make ends meet — and she knows lots of her students’ parents struggle, too.

“Health care would be good. A retirement fund would be good,” she said. 

In supporting the board, Hodges said, she wants a chance for smoother communication among everyone involved.

“We just want people to hear our voices — parents, teachers, the providers, the employers,” Hodges said.

But opponents are skeptical of the makeup of the proposed board. Duininck said he worries it will skew towards labor, and neglect concerns from business owners. 

He points to the five board seats set aside for community stakeholders, which he worries will be filled by people who support labor interests. 

“It felt like the council and advocates are just trying to stack a board that would then unfairly be favorable to labor, and not really be that responsive to business concerns,” Duininck said. 

Authors of the proposal said built-in checks and balances will prevent any group from pushing through policy recommendations without broad support. To make a recommendation, the board would need a majority vote in favor — and that majority would need to include at least one representative from each of the three groups on the board.

Jared Brewington owns Official Fried Chicken, with a location at Target Field and a previous location in south Minneapolis. He said he’s concerned about possible new regulations leading to more costs.

“We’ve already faced labor shortages, rising costs and the lingering impacts of the pandemic,” Brewington said. 

He’s one of several BIPOC restaurant owners in Minneapolis who signed an open letter calling on the City Council to vote down the labor standards board. 

“I’m concerned that throughout all of the hard work, dedication and daily fight that we put into our grind, that a group will tell us how to run our businesses,” Brewington said. “This is a precursor to a little more hands-on approach to how we do our business, which immediately steals the soul of our wonderful and unique offerings to the city.”

Mayor Jacob Frey has concerns, too. He has supported the idea of a labor standards board — but he called the proposal up for a vote on Thursday unbalanced. 

Frey said he wants a higher vote threshold for advancing recommendations to the City Council — and he wants to appoint half the board members. The current proposal has the mayor appointing just three members.

 in earlier discussions. At a meeting earlier this month, council member Linea Palmisano said she had heard opposition to the board and moved to hold a public comment session about it; that motion was voted down.

Council member Michael Rainville also echoed concerns of some business owners.

“In essence, what this is going to do is pit small business owners against their employees — employees that already have protections under federal, state and city laws,” Rainville said. “This makes the city government become a union organizer.”  

Council member Katie Cashman, who is among those supporting the labor standards board,  said she’s also heard anxiety from business owners. But Cashman said she’s reminding them that the board has limited power as an advisory committee. She and other authors of the proposal say it’s just a chance to bring stakeholders together.

“There are some groups who do not want a seat at the table with workers, and that may be their choice, but we’re going to create the table regardless,” Cashman said.

The council plans to vote at its regular meeting on Thursday morning. If passed, the policy will go to the mayor for approval or veto.

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Estelle Timar-Wilcox

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The Minneapolis City Council will vote Thursday on whether to create a labor standards board, after years of advocacy from labor groups and harsh criticism from some business owners. The advisory board could recommend new labor policy to the council for consideration.

Minneapolis City Council to vote on labor standards board

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