CENTER CITY, Minn. — Chanting, “What do we want? A contract! When do want it? Now!” striking Chisago County workers, members of Teamsters Local 320, marched in front of the Government Center here May 5. The strike began May 1.
The 170 workers in the bargaining unit, the majority of whom are women, work in the Administrative and Health and Human Services and Government Center for the county. Chisago County is about an hour northeast of Minneapolis.
“The county health care plan has a family deductible of $10,000. We want to switch to the Teamsters plan, where the deductible is $1,500,” Amy Perusse, a business agent for Local 320, told the Militant on the picket line. And we want the county to contribute their share to this plan.”
“Our contract expired last year, but the county commissioners aren’t moving toward a resolution for a contract,” she added.
Workers on the picket line, including the social workers, told the Militant that one of their branch offices was abruptly closed by the county last month. Now employees working out of the Government Center have almost no private space to meet with their clients.
“Support from the community is awesome and one of the strengths of this strike. There are signs up around town urging the county to ‘Do the right thing by these workers,’” Perusse said. “Unfortunately, the county government shows no concern for the clients, the children and families we serve. And our health care plan will expire at the end of May if workers don’t go back by then. The county is hoping this will help force us to end the strike.”
On May 17 the Teamsters organized a strike support picnic that drew hundreds of strikers and their supporters to Beach Park in nearby Lindstrom.
Speakers included Perusse; Erick Skoog, principal officer of Local 320; and Tom Erickson, president of Teamsters Local 120. They led the crowd in chants of “Stand up! Fight back!” Participants came from Teamster locals in Minneapolis and Indianapolis, as well the Minnesota Nurses Association.
The union set up three trucks with portable kitchens for serving food, providing a sound system and advertising the union’s presence in the community.
Members of other Teamsters locals in the area joined the picket lines while we were there. Strikers encourage people to come picket with them. Workers picket in two shifts between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily at the Government Center, 313 N. Main Street.