MPR: A New Year's Strike?

A New Year's Strike?
by Laura McCallum
December 24, 1999

Negotiators for the state and its second-largest employees union return to the bargaining table to try to avert a strike. Members of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, or MAPE, could walk off the job as early as Tuesday at midnight if the talks are unsuccessful.

MAPE's 10,000 members include parole and probation officers, food inspectors and computer technicians. It's the first time in the union's 18-year history that members have rejected a contract and voted to authorize a strike.

MAPE's 10,000 members include parole and probation officers, food inspectors and computer technicians. It's the first time in the union's 18-year history that members have rejected a contract and voted to authorize a strike. The state offered pay increases of 2.5 percent the first year, and three percent the second, while MAPE is demanding a four-percent raise for each of the next two years. MAPE President Deb Schadegg says union negotiators are willing to meet round the clock to try to resolve their differences with the state, because the two sides are still far apart.

Schadegg: Money-wise, over the course of the biennium, probably $8 million. And then there's some significant language issues that are non-cost items to the state.

The state's commissioner of administration, David Fisher, wouldn't discuss details of the contract talks, saying the mediator asked both sides not to negotiate in public. But Fisher says the state is trying to balance MAPE's demands with budget limitations.

Fisher: From the state's point of view, I think it does have to look internally to its budget authorization as set by the state legislature, and also the issue of fairness based on what other unions have agreed upon.

The state's largest union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 6, did ratify a contract with 2.5 and three-percent raises. Executive director Peter Benner says the decision was not an easy one; union leaders thought the state should offer more, given its rosy financial picture, but decided against a strike vote. Still, Benner says MAPE will likely have a tough time getting the state to agree to four-percent raises.

Benner: A whole bunch of other unions have come in now too, basically on the 2.5 and three, with minor variations. And it seems to me MAPE is on a very, very uphill struggle on that one.

MAPE argues that unlike AFSCME, its members don't get overtime pay. The union may have once-in-a-millenium leverage. It's computer technicians who may be called into action to deal with any Y2K problems if they're not on strike. The state says it has independent contractors lined up to fix any computer glitches related to the year 2000 rollover, but admits it will be a stretch to get along without MAPE members.

Joe Rolfer, an information technology specialist with the Department of Human Services and a MAPE negotiator, says it would be expensive and difficult for the state to bring in consulting firms right before New Year's Eve.

Rolfer:They're taking it to the last minute here, and I'm not sure if that is in an effort to save costs as far as bringing in large groups of people right away; but the problem is, of course, the longer the delay, the more obvious expense, obviously the contracting firms are going to take full advantage of it, and bringing in, say, 20 people, the day before is going to probably amount to quite a bit of disorganization.

Rolfer says the prospect of going on strike right before New Year's Eve presents an ethical dilemma for MAPE's computer technicians, who've worked hard to prevent Y2K problems and don't want to see the state suffer any disruptions. But he says members are prepared to walk off the job if the talks fail.

It's been 18 years since the state experienced an employee strike. AFSCME members walked the picket line for 22 days in 1981 before reaching a compromise. AFSCME's Peter Benner says the union discovered the state could get along without its members for a short time, and the state realized how difficult it was to get along without AFSCME. He says it took years for negotiators to repair the damaged relations on both sides.

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