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Home > News > Franken shows support for AFSCME strikers
Franken shows support for AFSCME strikers
BY KATHY GRIGG
STATESMAN STAFF WRITER
CHAD BUSCH / STATESMAN
Al Franken speaking in support of
striking AFSCME employees at the
picket line on the corner of St. Marie
Street and University Drive Friday
morning.
When the University of Minnesota American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) workers went on strike, it attracted national attention.
Presidential candidate Barack Obama cancelled an appearance on the Twin Cities campus to avoid crossing the picket line. So did Elizabeth Edwards, wife of presidential candidate John Edwards.
Comedian and U.S. Senate candidate Al Franken stopped by St. Marie Street for a rally to support UMD clerical, technical and healthcare workers, who are striking for a 3.25 percent wage increase.
“This is a learning moment,” he said. “Imagine that at a university.”
Franken encouraged the students attending the protest to raise the issue of labor unions in the classroom. He said he believes that college education should be available to everyone.
However, he said, getting to that point cannot be at the expense of university employees.
“We’re not going to do it on the backs of everyone who works here, especially when it’s about their cost of living,” Franken said. “We’re going in the wrong direction, and I’m shocked that the University of Minnesota is part of it.”
To the workers, he added, “What you do here is key to the university.”
Student Dan Mahoney went out of his way to attend the rally. “I’d like to note that I’m skipping class, and I think it’s worth skipping class for,” he said. Mahoney is in the process of organizing an outdoor concert to raise awareness of strike issues. He has also been going back and forth between the picket-line and school to keep everyone involved up-to-date, because the strikers don’t have access inside the university.
“As students, we have to use our ability to get the word out,” he said. Brendan Kiefer also missed class to show up. From his perspective, the University of Minnesota has been “undermining” the strike with its reaction – hiring temporary workers and telling the public that it’s business as usual. He believes the workers deserve more credit.
“I honestly think the university has downplayed their importance,” he said.
AFSME Local 3801 President Denise Osterholm said workers who cross the line weaken the entire group.
“It brings dishonor on yourself, and you’re letting your fellow workers down who are standing up for what their rights are,” she said.
Striker Ruth Hemming may not have crossed the picket line, but she’s still helping her students by e-mail. As an executive office and administrative specialist for the UMD biology department, much of her job involves working with the curriculum. When students need to get on a waitlist, apply for a certain class, or get a course override, they come to her.
Even though striking has had financial ramifications for her family – particularly with medical bills – Hemming didn’t cross the line.
“I was born and raised on the Iron Range. I guess it’s just been ingrained in me that if you belong to something you support it,” she said.
Hemming said she doesn’t hold any animosity towards the people who chose to cross the picket line to go to work.
AFSCME represents some of the lowest-paid workers in the university, and not everyone has the option of missing work.
“There’s a lot of people who work here who are single mothers who weren’t making it to begin with,” she said.
AFSCME Local 3801 secretary Nancy Damberg, who is a clerical worker in Darland, said the strike has elements of sexism as well.
“Our union is primarily women, and unfortunately this is a women’s issue,” she said. “I think they figure we’ll just take whatever they give us.”
Despite the lack of cooperation from the university, Damberg said she’s seen the community come forward in support. Lunch has been provided by professors and city employees. Community members have delivered hot chocolate and Caribou Coffee.
“The strength you get from being out there with people with like ideas is empowering,” she said. “… Is it OK to say we had fun?"
