Members of St. Paul’s teachers union have voted to walk off the job if they can’t reach a new contract agreement with the school district.
St. Paul Federation of Educators announced late Thursday night that a majority of its members had authorized a strike. If they move forward, a walkout would likely happen in early March, union leadership said.
More than 92% of union members who voted supported the strike. More than two-thirds of the 3,700 educational assistants, teachers and school and community service professionals represented by the union took part.
Months of negotiations between the St. Paul Federation of Educators and St. Paul Public Schools have failed to result in a new contract. Teachers and non-licensed staff are asking for pay raises and more help with health insurance payments, but the district says it can’t budge with a looming budget deficit of more than $100 million.
It’s the fourth consecutive two-year bargaining cycle in a row where members approved a strike. The union went on strike for four days in 2020 and almost went on strike in 2018 and 2022.
“I’m frustrated that we’re here again,” SPFE president Leah VanDassor told reporters outside a union hall as members voted Thursday afternoon. “We’ve been doing strike votes since 2018, we have to bargain every two years and we shouldn’t get to this point.”
10-day countdown upon approval
Now that members have approved the strike, leaders can then announce their intent to follow through. VanDassor said that could come as early as next week.
Once the union files to strike, there’s a 10-day countdown for final negotiations between the union and the district before the strike can begin.
VanDassor said her union feels the school district is “dragging its feet” as other districts in the metro and state, such as the Anoka-Hennepin school district, have reached deals.
There are still two more closed-door mediation sessions scheduled — one on Feb. 23 and one on March 1. In a letter to district staff, SPPS human resources chief Pat Pratt Cook said recent discussions between the district and union had been productive.
“While the SPPS bargaining team does not believe (the) strike vote is necessary to move negotiations along, we acknowledge and respect SPFE’s right to take this collective action,” she wrote. “Regardless of the outcome of the vote, we will continue to negotiate in good faith in an effort to reach a fair and financially sound agreement.”
VanDassor said there has been progress in mediation but there are still issues with wages and benefits.