Minnesota employee unions threaten job actions after Walz back-to-office directive
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Minnesota’s two largest state worker unions served notice Thursday they’ll push hard for retraction of a plan requiring state employees to spend more time in their offices.
At a rally outside the Capitol, union leaders announced they are planning a protest outside the governor's mansion this weekend. They haven’t ruled out legal action or a potential work stoppage.
Leaders with both the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Minnesota Council 5 want Gov. Tim Walz to rescind his requirement that employees return to the office at least 50 percent of the time.
AFSCME Council 5 executive director Bart Andersen said Walz did not include the unions in discussion about the decision.
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“If we are going to be considered a labor friendly state and in partnership with our labor friendly administration, we need to have conversations not dropped at the last minute and told that all these people have to go back to work in a month and a half with no means to get there,” he said.
Walz announced the order this week, which would require tens of thousands of state employees to come back to the office at least half of the time, if they live within 75 miles of their office. It starts June 1.
It’s a departure from the remote arrangements that expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, most employees were ordered to work from home to prevent virus spread. Some have been on remote or hybrid schedules since.
The Walz administration said about 60 percent of the executive branch employees are already in compliance, reporting to an office or jobsite regularly. That includes people who staff prisons, drive snowplows, work in state parks or do other work for agencies.
A spokesperson for Walz referred reporters to comments made Wednesday by Walz, who was traveling to Texas on Thursday for a political event. On Wednesday, Walz defended the move as in line with worker callbacks in the private sector, and he said in-person work fosters collaboration and better mentorship opportunities for newer staff.
Several Democratic legislators — and at least one Republican — legislators showed up on the Capitol steps in support of the unions.
Union leaders say they have several concerns about the plan around infrastructure, parking and child care issues.
“It’s a six to nine month wait list to get their kids in day care,” said Megan Dayton, the president of MAPE. “We heard from other people that went down to one car during the pandemic because both adults in the house were working from home, they’re going to have to go get another car, insurance, gas, all the things that come with it with minimal notice. And it’s not enough time.”
Dayton said her membership is fired up about the issue.
“It’s been 24 hours, but I’ve never seen our membership show up like they have over this issue. And I’ve heard a lot of people saying the word ‘strike,’” she said.
Dayton said there is a petition going around, and the union is also considering going to court and is exploring the option of a strike.
“Nothing is off the table for us,” she said.