Some 23,000 members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) waged a solid two-week strike for a pay raise after years of concessions and against moves by the government to impose higher health-care costs on workers.

In the tentative two-year accord, the state agreed to pay raises of 3.5 percent a year for AFSCME members and 3 percent a year for MAPE members, slightly higher than the government's offers prior to the strike. The increases would be backdated to July 1. The union reports that health-care benefits are improved. Full details of the proposed settlement have not been released.

Up until the announcement of the accord, the striking state workers continued to staff picket lines in front of state facilities and to win support for their job action by organizing periodic rallies.

Rallies were held October 10 across the state, including in St. Paul, Duluth, and Brainard. AFSCME International union president Gerry McEntee and AFL-CIO secretary treasurer William Lucy were among the speakers at the 2,000-strong St. Paul rally. The AFSCME international union donated $100,000 to the strikers at the event.

The Carpenters Union brought a trailer to the rally, while Teamster members honked the horns of their big rigs. Contingents from the International Association of Machinists, Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Local 17, and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 789 participated to demonstrate solidarity with the strikers.

Cindy, a clerical worker in St. Paul, said, "We are not intimidated by the governor's rough talk, we are going to stay out until we get what is coming to us." Thomas Anderson, another striker, said, "Our beef is not with the National Guardsmen, but their boss, who is also our boss. He thinks he can scare us into saying 'yes,' and that there is no money." Gov. Jesse Ventura called up some 1,000 National Guard troops to serve as replacement workers in hospitals and nursing homes.

Ventura repeatedly claimed that meeting the strikers' wage and health benefit demands would necessitate layoffs or a tax increase. "I've already said I won't raise taxes, so I will cut government," he told Minnesota Public Radio. The two striking unions were demanding a 5 percent raise each year to pay for the new insurance expenses that are being shifted onto them. A fact sheet from AFSCME points out that state employee salaries amount to less than 5 percent of the total state budget.

Tran Nguyen, a janitor, explained that he cannot make it on his $10-an-hour state job alone. "I have to work a second job during the day," he said. "I work from seven in the morning until three in the afternoon [at a garment shop] and then start work at the school at four and work until midnight every day."

National Guard troops were used as replacement workers at the state-operated veterans home in Minneapolis. A group of three meatpacking workers went to visit the picket line there to offer solidarity. Al, who works as a nurse's aid, said he was not afraid of being replaced or laid off. "We are together," he said. "They have already cut our staff to the minimum. We have a high turnover like in your industry. My job is hard, not everyone is cut out for it."

The state workers stood up to an antiunion campaign in the press that sought to utilize Washington's war to undercut the walkout. An October 9 St. Paul Pioneer Press editorial entitled, "State, unions have duty to reach accord quickly," opined that "with American military forces striking enemies half way around the world...it is time for state officials and public employees to resolve their differences and get the state workers back on the job."

Sue, a striker a Northdale Community College, said the union members have not had a wage increase for the last several contracts. "Now is the time to strike if that is what it takes to get what we deserve," she said, echoing a common theme on the picket lines.

Francisco Picado contributed to this article.  
 
 
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