
Technical, clerical and health-care workers represented by AFSCME are in their third day of their strike at the university's campuses across the state. Pay is the biggest issue.
The disruption started with one protester shouted a question. When the protesters wouldn't be quiet, chairwoman Pat Simmons called a recess. Several protesters ran and sat down arm-in-arm in front of a door that board members were going to use to leave.
Regent Steve Hunter, secretary of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, stayed to listen to the protesters.
He said, "I hope that we can get this contract behind us, that we can get a fair offer on the table, (one) that can be ratified, and we can heal the wounds that have been created in the community."
But the regents meeting never got back on track.
The University released the following statement early in the afternoon:
"The Board of Regents adjourned its meeting today as a result of the illegal actions of a small but, highly disruptive group of people. The majority of these people were neither students nor employees of the University of Minnesota."
This statement is being disputed by those who were protesting. Those involved say a majority of the protestors were students who ranged from freshman under grads to PhD candidates.
The board's statement goes on to say:
"Freedom of expression is paramount to the fulfillment of the university's educational mission. As citizens, these individuals were provided with the same opportunity to attend and observe the meeting of the Board of Regents as would be afforded anyone. Unfortunately, once; afforded this opportunity, these individuals engaged in activities that transcend freedom of expression and were illegal.
The University of Minnesota will not tolerate nor condone actions of individuals who intentionally disrupt our educational or governance processes. These individuals will be held fully accountable for their actions.
We do not believe that the actions of this small group in any way reflect the views of the majority of university employees who are members of AFSCME. We remain committed to our strong compensation offer to our AFSCME employees and look forward to the return to work of all of their members."
The university is seeing other disruptions related to the strike - some instructors are defying the University of Minnesota and moving classes off-campus to show support for striking "U" workers.
The university has ordered instructors to keep classes on campus or face discipline.
Provost E. Thomas Sullivan says in a letter to faculty and staff that university employees who refuse to report to work as directed are considered to be engaged in an illegal sympathy strike.
After the regents meeting was adjourned, striking workers and their supporters held a rally in the plaza outside of the McNamara Alumni Center.
Striking worker Laurie Eisenshank said her home is in foreclosure.
"The one luxury I have is Caller ID," she said. "That's been necessary so that I can screen calls and bill collectors."
The workers have been offered a raise of 2.25 or, in some cases, 2.5 percent. They want 3.25 percent - the same raise other state employees already have received.
"We're very hopeful that, at some point, we can get back to the negotiating table and finalize an agreement that ends the strike," said university spokesman Dan Wolter.
But no further talks have been scheduled.
The big sticking point involves what are called "step increases."
Those are automatic 2 percent raises given to workers every year, on the anniversary of the date they were hired.
The university says, when you factor in those step increases, the workers have indeed been offered a fair wage.
But the union says step increases never have been part of contract negotiations before, and to include them now is just a backhanded way to limit pay increases for workers who make an average of $34,000 a year.
(kare11.com)