News

AFSCME Council 5 Condemns Mass Layoffs at the Science Museum of Minnesota

St.

AFSCME Council 5 Welcomes Program Assistants at Robbinsdale Area Schools to Our Union Family

Minneapolis, MN - AFSCME Council 5 is proud to an

The Mike Buesing Local Union Development Award is presented each year to an individual member, local union or group of members or locals who have contributed significantly to internal mobilization and local union development.

We're thrilled to have presented this year's award to Local 999 -St. Stephen's Human Services. Local 999 recently ratified their first tentative agreement, all while often negotiating virtually due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. 

This year we are honoring a local who has exhibited extraordinary service to our union and projected a bold, strong vision of what it means to be a leader, an effective communicator, and a change agent.

We in the Communications Department at Council 5 work every day as your storytellers and to put a public face to your work, but there is no way we could do our job effectively without the sustained pressure that all of you put on employers, legislators and others to do the right thing. 

The Rick Scott Political Activism Award is presented each year to an individual member, a local union, or a group of members or local unions in recognition of outstanding work in electoral, legislative and other political activity on behalf of our union. This years' award was presented to AFSCME Council 5's Corrections Policy Committee (CPC). 

The Jerry Wurf Organizing Award is given each year to an individual member, local, or group of workers who work tirelessly and effectively at organizing, empowering workers, and growing our union. Jerry Wurf, after whom the award is named, got his start in the labor movement picking up jobs in New York City cafeterias and organizing his co-workers to form a union.

Matt Stone has been a Correctional Officer at MCF-Togo since 2012 and once he received an offer to use his leadership skills and background in the outdoors at the Minnesota Department of Corrections, he gladly accepted the position and moved his wife and 1-year old adopted son up north.

The Department of Corrections went to the Legislature with a supplemental budget request ($18 million). This request would have addressed a structural shortfall in funding at the Department of Corrections and was a top legislative priority for AFSCME Council 5. 

The MN House of Representatives passed legislation which included additional DOC funding. Ultimately, the MN Senate did not pass this funding and a deficit has accumulated at an unsustainable rate since. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Max Hall

612-247-3725

[email protected]

August 3, 2020

AFSCME Council 5 Opposes Proposed Plan to Close DOC Facilities

July 14, 2020
 
In recent days, the Minnesota Department of Health has reported a large spike in positive COVID-19 cases, specifically over 800 new cases in a 24-hour period, the greatest daily spike we have seen in roughly 7 weeks. 23 states as well as city councils and mayors around our state are instituting mandatory mask policies for residents to adhere to in order to stop the spread of COVID-19.