As strike impacts events, Minneapolis park board plans special meeting
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will hold a special meeting Monday night in an effort to end a weeklong workers' strike.
Monday marks five days since hundreds of workers walked off the job.
Union workers will picket at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They say they want to be treated fairly and are asking for better wages, more protections on the job and more.
The park board said it presented its last, best and final offer, which included a 10.25% wage increase over three years, plus two market adjustments for 13 positions.
Union leaders say they deserve more, adding workers' pay has slipped by 10% in the last three years because of inflation.
Park board leaders say we'll probably get a better sense of the full effect of the strike now that the Fourth of July holiday is over.
The Minnesota Orchestra has canceled its Monday night concert at Lake Harriet because of the strike. The Minneapolis POPS concerts scheduled for Saturday and Sunday were also canceled.
Union members also posted pictures to social media showing flooded paths not closed off because of the strike.
Board leaders said last week they came up with a plan to adjust priorities and staffing locations in an effort to minimize impacts to the public.