Advisory: St. Paul Educators set to Strike Today

Contact: Megan Boldt, megan.boldt@edmn.org, 651-245-9163 (cell)

St. Paul educators set to strike Tuesday

St. Paul, Minnesota, March 10, 2020 — St. Paul educators will strike Tuesday after no deal was reached in nine months of negotiations — and more than 45 hours over the past four days alone — with Saint Paul Public Schools.

The district’s latest proposal dramatically slashed the number of support staff the Saint Paul Federation of Educators proposed to help meet students’ needs. SPFE presented a plan that would stretch out increased staffing over a three-year period to give the district flexibility in budgeting. 

“We wanted to settle this contract and be in school with our students Tuesday morning,” said SPFE President Nick Faber. “Unfortunately, after more than nine months and marathon bargaining over the weekend, district leaders weren’t willing to move on the issues educators and parents know will help students thrive and break down racial barriers in our schools.” 

The Saint Paul Federation of Educators top priorities include more mental health supports in every building, more multilingual staff to help students and families feel welcome in school, additional educators working with students with special needs and expanding restorative practices across the district.

Negotiations began last May between SPFE and the district. The union offered 31 proposals and filed for mediation in November because the district never offered counters to many of those proposals. Monday marked their 12th mediation session.