A strike by a state union would take 64 Riverland Community College employees off the job at the college’s three locations, a college representative said.

Monday, August 20, 2001

A strike by a state union would take 64 Riverland Community College employees off the job at the college’s three locations, a college representative said.

Employees in the technical, clerical, maintenance and support services departments are some of those who are members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 6, said Celeste Ruble, vice president of employee and public relations for Riverland.

The union’s negotiating team overwhelmingly rejected the latest contract offer from the state on Saturday and recommended its 19,000 members strike next month.

&uot;Any reduction in work force in any area of our college, whether it’s faculty or staff, has a big impact on the college,&uot; Ruble said. &uot;We would feel a loss. We just hope for a successful resolution.&uot;

The 64 employees work at the college’s Albert Lea, Austin and Owatonna campuses. Ruble would not say how many work at each location, but said many of the employees live in one city and work in another.

Area AFSCME Council 6 employees met at the Albert Lea Union Center last Wednesday and got an update from union business agents on the state’s latest offer.

Wanda Lunning, a cashier at Riverland and one of the college’s union stewards, said insurance changes in the state’s offer will leave employees at a loss unless unless their pay is increased more.

&uot;They’re changing the insurance package that we have, and in view of some of the changes in that package, we feel we should be getting a fair, across-the-board raise also,&uot; Lunning said.

Elsewhere locally, seven current employees at Myre-Big Island State Park in Albert Lea are members of AFSCME Council 6, said assistant manager Jerry Katzenmeyer. In the summer months, the park employs 11 to 12 people total.

Other state agencies that may be affected include the Minnesota Workforce Center, Department of Transportation and Department of Human Services, among others.

Don Dinndorf, a spokesman for the union, said about 450 delegates to the negotiating assembly voted Saturday. AFSCME rank-and-file members are scheduled to vote on the recommendation the week of Aug. 27 to Aug. 31 at polling places throughout the state.

Talks between the union and the state reached an impasse earlier this month over benefits and pay. Union leaders say the 2.5 percent wage increase they were offered is insufficient.

The union’s latest offer to the state included a 6.5 percent general wage increase and increased state spending on insurance.

On Friday, Gov. Jesse Ventura had expressed optimism that a deal could come before the employees walk off their jobs.

Ventura left the door open for more talks with the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees and AFSCME, both of which could strike by Sept. 17.

”They’re very valued employees and we want to satisfy them to the extent that we can,” Ventura said in response to a caller to his weekly radio show.

MAPE will conduct a mail ballot of its 10,500 members starting Monday. If members reject the state’s contract offer, the union can authorize a strike.