Things are not looking good for the University of Minnesota, where UMN union workers have issued a strike notice to protest against the institution. Teamsters Local 320, which represents the service workers at the university, has filed a notice indicating its intent to strike after August 20, following a mandated 10-day cooling-off period that should maintain the peace for a few more days. The UMN is set to strike for better wages, harassment protections, and understaffing issues at the institution that has placed a greater burden on the overworked staff over the last few years.
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UMN Union Strike Notice Filed After a 97% Vote in Support from Members
Around 1,400 facilities and dining workers at the University of Minnesota, represented by the Teamsters Local 320, are set to strike on August 20. The UMN union strike notice was filed with the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services after a vote to authorize it was held in late July.
The union contract between the workers and the employer expired on July 31, and while the university did attempt to negotiate a new contract before the deadline, workers believed it did not satisfactorily meet their needs. The UMN union strike notice was filed after a 97% vote in favor of authorizing the decision to strike.
Why Do the UMN Service Workers Intend to Strike?
The deal currently offered by the university reportedly includes an approximately two-and-a-half-year contract with 2.5% raises in the first year and 1% in the second year. The contract would also allow the university to pay new hires the same starting wages that their long-term staff are paid, making it an unfair bargain for existing employees.
Workers also have to face a reported 10% increase in healthcare costs. Not only would the increases in pay prove insufficient in helping workers meet their expenses, but it would also ultimately result in a pay decrease for workers.
The UMN strike for better wages also includes other reasons for protest, such as claims of harassment among food service workers. According to the data, the disciplining of workers between 2022 and 2024 went up 96% and primarily targeted women, despite them making up only 40% of the workforce. The company that manages the workers for the university has had to pay out heavy fines for employment-related offenses and discrimination, further adding evidence to the employee claims of harassment.
What Happens Next with the UMN Union Strike?
Now that the UMN service workers have made their intent to strike official, the strike could begin after August 20, 2025, and extend for an indeterminate period. Considering that August 25 marks the beginning of “move-in week” at the University of Minnesota, new students may have a challenging time getting acclimated to their new campus. From providing food to servicing the dorms, these workers have very important roles to play in the students’ and faculty’s on-campus experience.
In a statement provided to CBS News, the university stated, “The union and broader University community are aware of the financial challenges that higher education faces in the near and long term.” It continued, “The University is not immune to those challenges. The University has plans in place should a strike occur and is fully committed to minimizing any disruption this action might cause for our students, faculty, staff, and community.”
What’s Next for the UMN Union Workers?
As for the UMN workers who intend to strike, the union has approved benefits for the workers that include a $1,000 weekly payout. Reportedly, this will exceed the pay some of the workers receive, which gives them more reasons to commit to the strike. While the University of Minnesota was able to resolve a strike the last time it was authorized in 2022, it is unclear if it will be able to meet the demands of the workers before matters escalate this time.
This isn’t the only major union strike in the US at the moment. Thousands of Boeing defense service union workers have gone on strike after the proposed contract from the institution failed to meet their demands and fairly compensate them to the degree they required.
The escalation of matters to the point of strikes shows that union workers are still as willing as ever to fight for their fair share of wages and rights in 2025. The growing divide between employers and employees does not bode well, however, unions are not the enemy—they merely bridge the gap and ensure that workers are fairly represented at the organization they serve. Will the UMN union strike notice spur the University into devising an updated contract before the strike begins? That remains to be seen.
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