Chisago County strike hits Day 49: One of Minnesota's longest public sector walkouts

CHISAGO COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - Chisago County workers are marking 49 days on the picket line as contract talks with the county remain at a standstill.

Picket lines replace vital services for residents

What we know:

Nearly all of the 170-member Teamsters union in Chisago County walked off the job on May 1, making this one of the longest public sector strikes in Minnesota history.

Social workers and government center employees are among those on strike, leaving many vulnerable clients without their usual support. 

"We are the people who actually go into daycares. We are people who go into foster homes. We are actually give building permits. We are, we are checks and balances," said Sarah Bach, a Chisago County social worker.

The county has brought in about 50 social workers from other counties to fill in, many of whom are working remotely.

"The service model is definitely different. The individuals that are working are stressed. But we are meeting all of the state mandates. We are answering phone calls. We are addressing all of its service needs that need to be provided. We've had conversations with all of our foster families, our daycare providers, our go-through-the-list," said Chase Burnham, Chisago County administrator.

Bach described the impact on residents: "To know that they are not getting the services that they so desperately need in order to be safe, in order have medication, in order their lights on, in order make sure that their kids get to see them and have parent visits. This is heartbreaking to be out here," said Bach.

Disagreements over pay, insurance stall negotiations

Why you should care:

The strike hasn’t Chisago County residents without access to services like foster care visits, daycare checks, and building permits – but it has put a lot of stress on the smaller staff to do state-mandated functions in a timely manner.

Workers say they need a bigger raise to keep up with inflation and are also pushing for changes to how the county funds insurance coverage for Teamsters members. The county has offered 6.5% raises in each of the next two years, but workers say that is not enough.

Negotiations have made little progress.

"These are very, very good employees who do very, really hard things. And it's really important they get back. The county would love them back," said Burnham.

Negotiators have not met in person since a marathon session on May 22, and no new offers have been exchanged in two weeks. The county expects a new proposal from the union next week, which would be Day 53 of the strike.

The strike is affecting not only the workers but also the community members who rely on their services.

What we don't know:

It is not clear when the two sides will reach a deal or what the union’s next proposal will include. The long-term impact on county services and residents remains uncertain.