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Minnesota members who keep Hennepin County running win hard-fought contract

Photo credit: AFSCME Council 5
Minnesota members who keep Hennepin County running win hard-fought contract
By AFSCME Council 5 and AFSCME International Staff ·
Tags: Momentum Union Difference
Minnesota members who keep Hennepin County running win hard-fought contract
Photo credit: AFSCME Council 5

MINNEAPOLIS –  More than 4,000 workers who keep Hennepin County, Minnesota, running are getting an early Christmas present — a solid new contract.

AFSCME Council 5 announced in a Facebook post last week that the county’s workers, who are part of Locals 34, 552, 1719, 2864 and 2938, voted overwhelmingly —95% — to ratify the contract. That vote capped months of negotiations, tireless advocacy by members, and the inspiring union activism of thousands of public service workers.

“This major agreement is a win for every AFSCME member and every family that relies on the critical services provided by Hennepin County workers,” said Council 5 Executive Director Bart Andersen. “Our union members fought hard at the bargaining table and away from the table for this agreement, and it delivers sector-leading benefits, competitive wages, and much-needed workplace improvements.”

Andersen said the new contract wouldn’t just improve the lives of the those who work for Hennepin County, which includes the state’s most populous city, Minneapolis.

Photo

Photo credit: AFSCME Council 5

Andersen said the new contract wouldn’t just improve the lives of the those who work for Hennepin County, which includes the state’s most populous city, Minneapolis.

“This hard-fought union contract and organizing campaign represents a strong model for public sector collective bargaining agreements in Minnesota, reaffirming the power of collective action in achieving economic and workplace justice for all working people. Our union members have demonstrated that when we stand together, we win — period,” he said.

Key contract highlights include:

  • 4% general salary adjustment each year in 2025, 2026 and 2027, compounded annually.
  • Additional wage increases for more than 40 job classifications countywide.
  • Boosted shift differential pay for overnight and weekend shifts, meaning additional pay increases for workers serving during nontraditional working hours.
  • Health care deductibles will be capped at $500 for single employees and $1,000 for all other categories.
  • Higher employer-side contributions for dental care.
  • And much more.

Council 5 members who work for Hennepin County perform a variety of jobs — they are social workers; work in public health and veterans’ services; and serve as parole, probation and corrections officers, library workers, planning analysts, vocational counselors, public defenders, and prosecutors.

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