Dozens of Twin Cities office workers face strike

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Mediation has failed and dozens of unions in the Twin Cities face a strike by their own, unionized office workers.

Members of Local 12 of the Office and Professional Employees International Union, went on strike Friday morning outside the offices of 52 Twin Cities unions.

On Monday, the 94 members of the local bargaining unit of the 2,700-member Local 12 voted to strike, ending more than five months of bargaining with the Union Office Master, which represents the unions.

"Mediation didn't yield any results," said OPEIU spokeswoman Beth Branca. "Our union members are standing real firm and are solid about striking."

Branca said the main issue is that proposed raises won't even cover proposed increases in health care premiums.

This marks only the second time in the bargaining unit's history that members have struck. The last strike, on July 1, 1980, lasted one day.

The strike's effects will reach beyond the unions that employ OPEIU workers because the strikers are picketing in front of the Minneapolis and St. Paul labor centers.

Those two buildings house many other unions, whose members are expected to honor the picket lines.

The OPEIU strike comes at an especially bad time for the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, currently on strike against the state. It doesn't employ any of the striking workers, but its offices are in the St. Paul labor union center.

MAPE moved its headquarters to a location that was not immediately disclosed.