CENTER CITY, Minn. — After a hard-fought, monthslong strike, some 170 Government Services Professionals and Human Services workers, members of Teamsters Local 320, ratified a new three-year contract with Chisago County Commissioners here Aug. 28.
“The agreement addresses two main sticking points that led to the lengthy strike — including a wage increase of 20.5% over three years, and offering health insurance through the Teamsters,” Erik Skoog, the union’s secretary-treasurer, told the press.
“The county health care plan has a family deductible of $10,000. We wanted 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 wanted the county to contribute their share to this plan.”
Leading up to the settlement, strikers had defeated moves to decertify the union in the Government Services Professionals unit.
“Their stalling effort of a decertification campaign failed,” Matt Synicyn, a facility engineer and part of the Government Service Professionals, said. “In the meantime, county services were not being met and clients of the social workers weren’t able to get the services they need.” Synicyn said that the strike showed him the importance of unions. “If you don’t have one, you are left to the mercy of the employer.”