St. Paul teachers union authorizes strike vote

The union representing teachers in the St. Paul Public School District will ask its members to decide whether to walk off the job if they can’t agree on a contract with the district.

The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 7, 2024 at 2:21PM
FILE - In this March 10, 2020 file photo, St Paul teachers picket outside Adams Elementary in St. Paul, Minn. The teachers union and Minnesota's second-largest school district reached a tentative contract agreement early Friday, March 13, ending a strike that began Tuesday and canceled classes for some 36,000 students. The union, which represents about 3,600 teachers and support staff, said it was in the best interest of all involved to settle the contract, given the uncertainty of possible scho
St. Paul teachers picket outside Adams Elementary on March 10, 2020. (Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The union representing teachers in the St. Paul Public School District has authorized a strike vote and will ask its members on Feb. 15 to decide if they will walk off the job if a contract with the district can’t be agreed upon.

After an emergency meeting, the executive board of the St. Paul Federation of Educators made the decision to call for the strike vote as the two sides remain at odds after months of talks and two mediation sessions.

“We sought mediation because we believed it would help spur progress in reaching a settlement,” wrote union President Leah VanDassor. “Sadly, there has been little movement on behalf of SPPS, even for those proposals that are cost neutral.”

A vote to strike does not mean a strike is imminent. If the membership votes to call a strike, they would need to give the district a 10-day notice before walking off the job.

Teachers are asking for a $7,500 pay raise in the first year of a contract and a 7.5% increase in the second year. The union also is asking for pay increases for educational assistants along with more money for mental health services, lower class sizes and changes in how students are disciplined.

In the letter, VanDassor says the district received $56 million in additional state funding this year that could be used to pay teachers.

“It is time for district leadership to do the right thing: treat educators with the respect they deserve for their past sacrifices and dedication to the profession, and pay us a wage that honors the work we do,” VanDassor’s letter says.

Two more mediation sessions are scheduled before the strike vote would take place.

Teachers went on strike for three days in 2020, but avoided a walkout in 2022 when the two sides settled. The union is hoping for the same result this time.

“I remain hopeful that there can truly be a resolution for all of us without the necessity of a strike,” the letter states. “We will continue to prepare for that possibility.”

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Tim Harlow

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Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. He also covers the suburbs in northern Hennepin and all of Anoka counties, plus breaking news and weather. 

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