Dear Fellow ASF Member,
Early Sunday morning Senate Republicans unilaterally altered tentative agreements (TA) for thousands of Minnesota state employees, including ASF. The final vote to strip state employees of their second year raises was almost a party line vote with all Senate Republicans voting in favor with the exception of Senator Jim Abeler (R-Anoka). All DFL Senators voted against amending the state employee contacts that stripped raises from the second year. For ASF, this would mean that we would not see the 1.5% cost of living increase in FY21, but all other language negotiated in the contract would remain in place including the step increase we saw in January. The State Health Insurance Program was not affected with any of the Senate Republican amendments.
We remain unclear as to whether the Senate has the authority to unilaterally amend a TA, or in this case several TAs. Minnesota Management and Budget is reviewing the possible legal issues that may have been triggered as state contracts were unilaterally altered by the Senate. We are ready to take any possible measure to provide our members with what was agreed to during the contract negotiation process. Please understand that this attack is not just on state employees, but all public sector workers. This is an attack on unions and union contracts.
On behalf of the state employee members of Teamsters Local 320 and ASF, we thank all the DFL Senators and Republican Senator Jim Abeler for their support of state employees and Teamsters. And thank you to all of you who contacted your legislators and encouraged your friends and family, attended the tele town halls hosted by Teamsters Local 320, sent in testimonials and videos, and did what you could to help see these contracts through. We know for many of you, this was way outside your comfort zone. But it was imperative that the legislature hear from us and other state employees, and they did! THANK YOU!
We will keep you informed with any further developments and updates.
In solidarity,
Brian Aldes, Teamsters Local 320 Secretary Treasurer
Sami Gabriel, Teamsters Local 320 President/ASF Chief Negotiator
Tracy Rahim, State ASF President