Custodians, maintenance staff and food service workers began a strike at several University of Minnesota campuses late Monday.
That strike by 1,400 members of Teamsters Local 320 spread to additional campuses early Tuesday — and is set to expand to the U of M Twin Cities campus on Tuesday afternoon.
Union members rejected a final contract offer from the university last week. A spokesperson for the union said the pay raises in the contract offer were lower than raises offered to other employee groups at the university.
“Workers are demanding parity with other university union settlements and preservation of hard-fought gains won in mediation,” the union said in a statement announcing the strike.
The union had announced last month that it was prepared to strike, if a contract agreement was not reached.
The work stoppage started Monday night at the Crookston and Morris campuses. Teamsters Local 320 members at the University of Minnesota Duluth as well as U of M facilities in Grand Rapids, Waseca and Austin joined Tuesday morning.
Union members at the Twin Cities campus are set to join the strike on Tuesday afternoon.
The University of Minnesota said some dining and custodial services will be delayed or limited while the strike is underway. It posted a roundup of services affected by the strike on its website.
“The university remains open to continued discussions with Teamsters through the Bureau of Mediation Services. We hope a resolution can be reached that supports our employees and ensures that the University remains good financial stewards,” the U of M said in a statement posted online.
