Minnesota's first responders - including corrections officers, nurses, probation and child protection officers and front-line staff - need to be protected. But right now, the First Responder COVID-19 Workers Comp proposal is stalled in the GOP-controlled Minnesota Senate. Our First Responders need you to contact Sen. Paul Gazelka, the majority leader of the Senate, and demand that he allow a vote.
To protect the health and well-being of city workers and the St. Paul residents we serve, we call upon the City to provide:
1. Paid Emergency Pandemic Leave for employees who are ill, taking care of loved ones due to illness or school/daycare closures, or government mandated closures. Employees should not be forced to drain existing sick or vacation accruals. We request the City of St. Paul provide an Emergency Leave Fund for the pandemic throughout the duration of the leave.
To protect public health and safety, Council 5 staff will not be attending regional meetings until further notice.
Teleconferencing technology for future regional meetings is available and Council 5 field staff are able to provide these for your regional meeting. Please keep checking back here for updates.
There is a potential case of COVID-19 among our staff. That staff person is in isolation and is currently being tested. To be safe and in the best interest of our employees and membership, we are closing all Council 5 offices until further notice. Effective immediately the office is closed. Executive Staff and Field Staff are available via cell, text and email.
South St. Paul, MN –January 2020 - Longtime AFSCME Council 5 Legislative Director and union leader Julie Bleyhl has been named Executive Director of AFSCME Council 5!
