Threat of teacher strike looms in Minneapolis

The countdown is on to a potential teachers strike in Minneapolis.

The union representing teachers and support staff members has set a strike authorization vote for Thursday, Friday and next Monday — pending the outcome of contract talks on Tuesday.

If a deal is not reached and the rank-and-file gives its permission to strike, Minneapolis Federation of Educators (MFE) leaders could call for a walkout to begin in November.

Strike threats have become common in the Minneapolis district — and, until this summer, in the St. Paul school district, too. What is unusual, however, is how early in the school year that a potential strike could occur.

At issue are provisions relating to class sizes, special-education caseloads and pay.

“Our students need real action — enforceable limits on class sizes and caseloads — so educators can give them the attention they deserve,” Marcia Howard, president of MFE’s teacher chapter, said in a release announcing the strike authorization vote.

Minneapolis Public Schools said in a statement it recently pitched a “significant investment to reduce class sizes.” The district said it was unable to speak publicly about details of the offer given the confidentiality required as part of the mediation process, district spokeswoman Donnie Belcher said.

Any move to hit the picket lines must be preceded by a 10-day waiting period, during which negotiators continue to meet.

Minneapolis district and federation leaders agreed to the previous teachers contract just ahead of a strike-authorization vote in April 2024. That deal, which expired on June 30 of this year, gave the teachers their highest pay increase in 25 years.

The two sides voiced optimism then of having established a new collegial working relationship. Negotiators, in turn, began talks on the new teacher and ESP contracts earlier in the cycle than usual, resulting in nine public bargaining sessions and six mediation sessions since the talks began in April.

The union argues the district is exploiting loopholes in contract language governing class-size caps. Nearly one-third of Minneapolis kindergartners were in classrooms exceeding contracted limits last fall, the federation claims in a 44-page bargaining document.

Earlier this year, Superintendent Lisa Sayles-Adams pledged to protect class size limits as part of a 2025-26 school district budget that required board members to fill a $75 million budget gap.

Increases of 12% and 10% are being sought for the ESPs, some of whom assist teachers by working closely with special-education students.

The district did not provide details regarding its wage proposals in its three-paragraph statement.

“While the district’s budget is tighter than ever due to the historic underfunding of public education and expenses outpacing our revenue, we hope to reach an agreement that is fair, student-centered and ensures the district can thrive even if there are state and federal funding cuts,” the statement concludes.

Three years ago, Minneapolis educators hit the picket lines for a strike stretching nearly three weeks as they pushed for higher wages, additional mental health supports for students, class-size caps and protections for educators of color.

The strike occurred during the same school year in which the district implemented new attendance boundaries as part of a controversial district redesign — frustrating many parents who ultimately left the district.