Last Friday, July 12, after a weeklong strike, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) Superintendent Al Bangoura attempted to break a stalemate with the leadership of Local 363 by requesting they make a counteroffer to the MPRB’s July 1 last best final offer. If a counteroffer was made, the MPRB agreed to go back to the bargaining table.
On July 14, Local 363 made a counteroffer that cost $800,000 more than their prior offer, over three years. Even in the face of these new demands, the MPRB returned to the bargaining table under the direction of the Bureau of Mediation Services on Monday, July 15.
During a combined 18-hours of mediation Monday and Tuesday, the MPRB provided three substantial counteroffers to Local 363 leadership’s July 14 counteroffer. During these mediation sessions, the MPRB made significant concessions in both wages and contract language. Local 363 leadership returned with proposed offers that continued to make requests beyond the MPRB’s financial capacity. Local 363 leadership also refused to agree to contract language proposals which would provide needed workplace changes to make the park operations more efficient and productive.
In the hope of settling the contract, the MPRB made its final attempt and asked Local 363 leadership to take the new MPRB proposal to a vote. After seven months of negotiations, the members of Local 363 have not been given an opportunity by Local 363 leadership to vote on a proposed contract. We ask that they do so now.