Anoka-Hennepin teachers voting on strike authorization amid stalled contract negotiations

Anoka-Hennepin teachers vote on strike

Teachers in Minnesota's largest school district are voting on whether to authorize a strike as contract negotiations remain unresolved. FOX 9's Bill Keller reports.

ANOKA, Minn. (FOX 9) - Teachers in Minnesota's largest school district are casting their votes on whether to authorize a strike, as contract negotiations remain unresolved.

Teachers voting on strike authorization

The backstory:

Anoka-Hennepin teachers have been working without a contract since June 30. They will have until noon on Saturday to vote on whether to go on strike. 

Last week, educators rallied outside a school board meeting to demand what they consider a fair deal. Despite months of negotiations, the district and the union have not reached an agreement.

The main issues in the negotiations are compensation and rising health insurance costs. The teacher’s union claims that no pay increase has been agreed upon, while health insurance costs are rising by an average of 22%, potentially reducing take-home pay by $95 to $400 per paycheck.

What they're saying:

"I think we've had really productive conversations on a lot of topics, but what we really need to do is come to an agreement that makes this a district that attracts the best educators for the long term for the students of this district, and to do that, we really need competitive wages and affordable health insurance to make this a destination for the next generation of teachers," said John Wolhaupter, president of the Anoka-Hennepin teachers union.

Potential impact of strike

What's next:

The results of the strike vote are expected to be announced on Saturday. If approved, more than 3,000 teachers and licensed staff could strike in early January, coinciding with students returning from winter break.

The last meeting between the two sides with an outside mediator was on Dec. 3, but contract talks have since stalled. It’s unknown if another meeting has been scheduled.