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Minnesota News
MPR News Staff
Updated:

Minneapolis Park Board, striking workers reach tentative contract agreement

Striking workers march
Striking park workers march down Northeast Eighth Avenue during a rally in Minneapolis on Wednesday. The union representing the workers said Friday morning that it's reached a tentative contract agreement.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

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After a strike lasting more than three weeks, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the union representing park workers announced Friday morning that they’ve reached a tentative contract agreement.

LIUNA Local 363 canceled plans for picketing on Friday. The park board (MPRB) issued a statement confirming the news. It said workers will return to work on Monday.

“The MPRB looks forward to the Local 363 vote next week and is optimistic that the contract will be accepted by Local 363 members,” a statement from the park board said.

The union said Friday the deal calls for raises of 10.25 percent over three years.

"All the workers really showed courage in standing up for their rights and we defeated some anti-worker language,” said Mitchell Clendenen, a maintenance crew leader who's on the union negotiating team.

He said management also agreed to continue automatic pay raises for newer workers as they earn seniority, rather than base those rases on performance reviews.

The contentious strike centered on wages and also on contract wording.

Union leaders had said they could not accept new language, including concessions that would have made automatic step wage increases discretionary and limited the number of stewards who can be paid to do union work.

Park Board officials had argued that the proposed language was necessary for accountability and efficient park operations, when paired with wage raises, and was similar to other contracts.

The 300 workers covered by the proposed deal are expected to vote on it next week.

Striking workers shut down a scheduled Park Board meeting on Wednesday night. That protest followed the failure of an attempt by some Park Board commissioners to force an end to the strike.

This is a developing story; check back for updates.