Minneapolis Public Schools, teachers reach tentative agreement overnight
Updated 10:26 a.m.
Minneapolis Public Schools and the union representing the district’s teachers reached a tentative contract agreement in the early morning hours Thursday.
The agreement comes as the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers’ Teacher Chapter was set to begin a vote to authorize a strike over the next two days. The district had been in mediation with the teacher’s union since the end of February.
While the teachers have a deal, the union’s Educational Support Professionals Chapter said late Thursday morning it would move forward with a strike authorization vote with results expected on Saturday. If approved, it would empower union leaders to set a strike date.
“We’re happy for our teacher colleagues, but our negotiations with the district are going too slowly,” Catina Taylor, president of the union’s support professionals unit, said in a statement.
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The union represents about 3,300 teachers and 1,600 professional support staff. District and union officials issued statements early Thursday lauding the agreement for teachers.
“As we keep our students at the center, we worked together to reach an agreement that honors the hard work of our licensed staff and recognizes our budgetary constraints. We look forward to continued partnership,” said Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams.
“We worked together collaboratively in service to the students of Minneapolis Public Schools and reached an agreement that we are both proud of. Our time today was incredibly productive, and we believe it is a new day for MPS,” said Greta Callahan, the union president.
Details of the tentative agreement will be shared publicly once union members vote to ratify the contract.
The district is currently facing a more than $100 million budget deficit and has warned that music teachers, nurses, custodians, content experts, information technology workers, athletics, transportation and special education positions are all facing cuts.
St. Paul teachers in March authorized a strike as negotiations continued on a new contract. That union and the St. Paul school district came to agreement before a walkout happened.
This is a developing story. Check back for more details.