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Minneapolis Park Board, union leaders say deal could come soon
Union leaders say a vote could happen as early as Friday, but a spokesperson says it’s more likely its members take the weekend to consider the deal.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Park Board and union leaders with Local 363 are back at the negotiating table.
On Thursday around 4:00 p.m., both sides started a mediation session at the Minnesota Bureau of Mediation Services in Saint Paul.
After a contentious and loud Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board meeting Wednesday night, it looked like both sides were far apart on a deal.
This theme of contention continued Thursday morning when members of Local 363 hand-delivered a petition to leaders at the Minneapolis Park Board that they say contained nearly 2,000 signatures.
Leaders say the petition supports a no-confidence vote for the park board and Superintendent Al Bangoura.
“This vote of no confidence is due to their inability to resolve this labor dispute,” Local 363 business manager AJ Lange said during a press conference Thursday morning.
Again, it may look contentious, but after talking to both sides individually, it appears a deal could happen soon.
“I think we’re 100% of the way there — if they recognize it,” Lange says.
Lange says the union is willing to approve the park board’s offer of a 10.25% wage increase over the next three years and a $1.75 market adjustment for certain job titles.
“We have an agreement on wages. We’ve agreed to 16 of their language proposals,” Lange says.
Both sides say the only sticking points now are three provisions in the contract that focus on the number of union stewards the union can have, how workers are compensated when they have to fill in for a manager, and annual performance reviews.
“This is all new language that is just unacceptable,” Lange argues.
The park board disagrees, arguing all three provisions are standard and are in place with all eight of their other labor contracts.
“There are claims that we are using anti-labor and union-busting tactics and that is not true and it’s certainly not our intent,” Minneapolis Park Board spokesperson Dawn Sommers says.
“All of this is to try and get things in alignment. It’s best business for the organization. It’s best for the employees and that’s what we are still stuck on.”
If the two sides reach a deal Thursday night, union leaders say the contract would have to be approved by their members.
Union leaders say a vote could happen as early as Friday afternoon, but a spokesperson says it’s more likely that leaders would give members the weekend to consider the new contract and then schedule a vote early next week.
However, it’s also possible that no deal will be reached Thursday night.
MINNEAPOLIS — How much do you know about your grandma’s upbringing?
“The Stories From My Grandmother’s Hands” is a book that aims to show young Black children how their grandmas lived through beautiful illustrations and descriptions.
KARE 11 News at Noon shared more on Thursday about the impact that this book will have.
Gary Peterson and his friends are collecting donations to help people in their community.
ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. — A St. Louis Park pumpkin display is raising money for their local food shelf.
Gary Peterson started carving and painting three pumpkins over a decade ago. It’s now grown to over 100.
“I’ve heard people say they’ve come from Hutchinson,” he said.
Peterson along with two of his neighbors have spent the last 14 years growing their display, turning it into a neighborhood event.
“It’s been incredible, I just can’t believe how much this has expanded,” he said. “We did it just because we like to and then people were asking to give us money to cover the cost.”
The trio refused to take people’s money, but then one of them had an idea.
“My neighbor, Steve Leensvaart, just mentioned how about we just do it for the STEP program and the STEP program is our local food shelf in St. Louis Park,” he said.
So, they started to collect donations to help families in need. They’ve raised hundreds of dollars and donated hundreds of pounds of food over the last few years, carving for a cause.
“It is more gratifying every year,” Peterson said.
He estimated they have over 100 unique pumpkins in their yard. They’ve created the displays and come up with new family-friendly concepts for people to enjoy. Peterson said about 30 of their neighbors carved their own pumpkins to be put on display, and it’s been a big hit.
“It’s great. In the last couple of years, it’s turned into more of a neighborhood event,” said Sarah Durch.
“We love this Halloween display, we come every year to see it. We love that the whole community gets involved to craft and carve the pumpkins,” said Jami Gordon-Smith.
“The shading and the details are unbelievable,” said Elizabeth Hanson.
Hanson hopes to take her 2-year-old son trick or treating for the first time but is worried the cold temperatures might keep them indoors.
“We’re going trick or treating hopefully,” she said. “He’s going to be a firefighter, but we’re probably going to have sweatshirts maybe like two pairs of sweatpants underneath. We’re going to be bundled up.”
Gordon-Smith said her family will be out Halloween night no matter the weather.
“Halloween only comes once a year, so you really have to take advantage and enjoy the evening no matter what the weather brings,” she said. “Guess it’s not totally unheard of in Minnesota to have a cold Halloween, but we are going to try and modify and do a lot of layers underneath our costumes and then we might add some hats and maybe some warmer socks.”
Durch also isn’t surprised they’re in for another chilly night.
“Well, what would Halloween be without Minnesota cold? I feel like every time you plan a costume you have to plan for how you can make this work if it’s snowing,” she said.
Peterson said they will have a bonfire and some hot chocolate and cider on Halloween to keep trick-or-treaters warm while they look at their pumpkins.
Click here to learn where you can see the pumpkins and how you can donate.
Jeremy Jourdain was 17 when he was last seen on Halloween 2016.
BEMIDJI, Minn. — The search for Jeremy Jourdain, who was last seen on Halloween in 2016, continues now eight years later.
Jourdain was last seen at a family member’s house in Bemidji, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs. He left the residence near the 500 block of Wood Avenue after midnight and while people followed him, no one was able to find him.
Jourdain was 17 at the time.
Officials said he was wearing a blue and grey sweatshirt, and blue jeans when last seen. He is Native American and is described as 6 foot 5 and 175 pounds.
If you have any information on his whereabouts, you can contact the Bemidji Police Department at (218) 333-9111. Tips can also be sent to 1-833-560-2065, or you can email ojs_mmu@bia.gov.
