Minneapolis school negotiators hopeful that deal close to end strike

Talks between Minneapolis Public Schools and the union representing its teachers and support staff went throughout the day and into the evening on Thursday, with both parties optimistic that they were closing in on a deal to end the three-week strike.

Shaun Laden, president of the education support professional chapter of the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, said progress was made toward a deal during a virtual mediation session Wednesday night.

"We went late into the evening had a very productive session with district negotiators," Laden said. "Education support professionals are extremely close to a deal. ... Hopefully, that momentum will carry over into negotiations with our teacher chapter."

Greta Callahan, president of the union's teacher chapter, echoed the optimism after negotiations stalled Wednesday on the teachers contract. She said salaries continued to be the hang-up, but the union was looking to somehow use one-time federal relief dollars to help reach a contract.

Mediation with the teachers chapter was also set to resume Thursday, Callahan said.

"Let's get our kids back in school," she said. "We're ready to go and we're really hopeful."

Around 4 p.m., School Board Chair Kim Ellison shared that optimism. She said talks continued with the teachers and support staff and the teams were working on the details to get to an agreement.

Local leaders have also weighed in. Mayor Jacob Frey answered questions about the strike at an unrelated news conference Thursday and said he'd been in contact with district and union leadership.

The city doesn't have authority over teachers pay, he said, adding that "I think there is a deal to be struck here."

"I think we can all agree that teachers need to be paid more," Frey said. "They have bore a whole lot of the difficulty and burden over the last couple of years, and teachers are heroes in both community and certainly for our children. We can all agree on that."

Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday again urged both sides to reach an agreement quickly.

"We're really close," he said, adding that the state Bureau of Mediation Services "has been at this from the beginning."

He said he has been told the best way he can help is by working to pass a supplemental state budget that supports schools. Walz said his budget proposal reflects the concerns of teachers and management.

"I have made the case that we can make these negotiations far easier if we pass the budget that we have that has a significant increase — as it should be — into education," he said.

Ten high school students slept inside Minneapolis Public Schools' headquarters Wednesday night during the virtual negotiations with the educational support staff chapter. Dozens more students arrived Thursday morning for another sit-in, where they danced, painted signs and snacked on food donated by the community.

"It feels really powerful to be able to come together and fight for something that will help us all," said Eyala Elate, 15, who attends an online school and helped organize the sit-in.

The students said they planned to occupy the lobby until Friday and would return Monday if a deal is not reached by then.