ASF Employees at Minnesota State Colleges File Intent to Strike Notice

Administrative and Service Faculty (ASF) at the seven Minnesota State universities have filed an intent to strike notice with the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services. ASF employees, including those at Bemidji State University, have been in contract negotiations with Minnesota State since April and entered into state-facilitated mediation on July 25.

In July, ASF voted by 97.5% to authorize a strike if Minnesota State failed to address wage inflation, income disparities with other Minnesota State bargaining units, and to commission an equity and salary compression study.

After the strike notice has been filed, a 10-day cooling-off period is established under state statue, and the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services commissioner has the authority to bring both the union and Minnesota State back into mediation. Only the commissioner can declare an impasse and release the parties from mediation.

Mediation has been scheduled for Monday, August 14 and Tuesday, August 15 in St. Paul. If an impasse is declared, the first day ASF employees can legally strike is Tuesday, August 22.