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Educators at Minneapolis Public Schools say they’ll take a strike authorization vote this week, after a late-night bargaining session that started Tuesday ended with no contract deal. 

“After a 15-hour mediation session and publicly expressing a willingness to settle, the district offered no meaningful solutions to the problems facing students, families, and educators,” Marcia Howard, president of the Minneapolis Federation of Educators’ teacher chapter, said in a statement Wednesday morning. “While the district’s response was disappointing, we remain committed to reaching an agreement.”

The union said that voting on whether to authorize a strike will take place between Thursday and Monday. 

The vote does not necessarily mean that a strike will happen; it only authorizes union leadership to potentially call one. If the union chooses to call a strike, it is required to give the district at least 10 days’ notice before stopping work.

In the meantime, contract talks will continue. The union and the district have another mediation session scheduled next week. 

The Minneapolis Federation of Educators has been in negotiations with Minneapolis Public Schools since April. Union leaders say 

Educators are asking for better wages, more special education staff, and caps on class sizes as they negotiate new contracts for teachers, educational support professionals and adult educators. Union leaders said before Tuesday’s mediation session that they would hold a strike vote if the talks didn’t lead to a deal on those issues.

In a statement, Minneapolis Public Schools said it’s offered educators contract proposals that are aligned with many of the union’s demands. The district cited funding limits as a challenge.

“MPS is committed to quickly reaching an agreement with MFE that works within available resources and prepares the district to navigate anticipated revenue reductions in the coming years,” the district said. 

The statement said meeting all of the union’s demands would be difficult. The district noted that some schools would run out of space if the union’s demands on class size were met, and said the costs would result in staff reductions and scaled-back services. 

Megan Boldt is a spokesperson for the Minneapolis Federation of Educators. She said she hopes the district and the union can find a balance that works for everyone, in time to avert a strike. 

“No one wants to wants to go out and strike,” Boldt said. “But there has to be movement in these contracts, because it’s what’s best for kids, best for families, best for educators.”

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Estelle Timar-Wilcox

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Educators at Minneapolis Public Schools say they’ll take a strike authorization vote this week, after a late-night bargaining session that started Tuesday ended with no contract deal. 


Minneapolis educators will vote on whether to authorize a strike

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