AFSCME local 221 members

As you may be aware, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) has asserted that they will no longer allow our union leaders and stewards to be on state paid time to be in investigations as a union representative. Our rights guarantee union representation in meetings with management that may lead to discipline and it has been a long-standing and mutually accepted interpretation for decades to allow union representatives to attend investigatory meetings on state paid time. At the Council 5 level, we have already filed a class action grievance, are filing an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) with the Public Employee Labor Relations Board (PERB) and will be seeking an injunction on this re-interpretation of our contract language.

Our contracts are sacred. They codify our rights as union members and clearly establish our wages, hours, working conditions, seniority, and other essential language. We cannot tolerate the re-interpretation of our contracts and changing Article 17 Section 2 and all other applicable articles.

We are asking members to do the following -

            Call and email MMB Labor Relations Director Jennifer Claseman

                        Tell her to recall her memo that would re-interpret our contracts and overturn decades of long-standing interpretation of contract language with regard to union representatives attending investigatory meetings. Tell her to respect our mutually agreed upon contract. These actions are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

                        Office phone: 651-259-3758

                        Work email: [email protected]

Thank you for taking action.

In solidarity, AFSCME LOCAL 221