Judge Lifts Restraining Order, Injunction Issued for Bemidji Teachers’ Union Against District

A Beltrami County judge has rescinded a temporary restraining order and injunction that he issued for the Bemidji Education Association last week.

The original ruling last week said that on Dec. 18, the school district ordered employees involved in a contract dispute to cease and desist from distributing any materials on school grounds without approval from the school district. On Jan. 4, the district ordered employees to no longer conduct any further informational pickets on district property.

According to court documents last week, Judge John Melbye said he ordered the restraining order because the district’s actions chilled employees statutorily protected activities. He went on to say that injunctive relief is necessary to cure irreparable harm to the power dynamics between labor and management in the midst of an ongoing labor dispute.

But after a hearing on Monday, Melbye rescinded that order and ruled that the Bemidji Education Association failed to meet its burden of showing immediate and irreparable injury, loss, or damage that would result. Monday’s ruling says the school district’s cease-and-desist directives at issue may remain in place.

Bemidji teachers have worked without a contract for almost seven months now and last week picketed outside the school district offices and spoke at the school board meeting.