FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Katie Jackson

(612)760-8603

Teamsters Local 320

July 8, 2026

Statement from Teamsters Local 320 Secretary-Treasurer and Principal Officer Erik Skoog

As our members enter the third month of their strike against Chisago County, I continue to be inspired by the determination and solidarity demonstrated by the 126 public employees represented by Teamsters Local 320. Since May 1, these dedicated professionals have remained united because they believe the residents of Chisago County deserve a workforce that is respected, fairly compensated, and equipped to provide the high-quality public services our communities depend upon.

Throughout this process, our members have never been interested in prolonging this dispute. They simply want a fair contract that recognizes the value of the work they perform every day. Unfortunately, after months of negotiations, the County has continued to offer the same 3% annual wage increase that our members overwhelmingly rejected months ago. Last week's proposal failed to address the concerns that brought us to the bargaining table and was overwhelmingly rejected by our members.

Teamsters Local 320 has worked diligently to find solutions—not just identify problems. We developed an innovative healthcare proposal that would transition our members to the Teamsters Health Plan, providing long-term stability while requiring no greater employer contribution than the County already makes for other employee health plans. Our proposal would reduce the uncertainty created by the County's repeated changes to healthcare providers and benefit plans over the past decade while giving employees greater control over their healthcare.

It is disappointing that, instead of making meaningful movement at the bargaining table, County leadership has continued to distribute misleading information to employees and the public. Those tactics do nothing to resolve this dispute. They erode public trust and distract from the real issues that remain unresolved.

Meanwhile, the impact of this strike continues to grow. We estimate that Chisago County has saved nearly $2 million in wages and benefits that would otherwise have been paid to these 126 workers. At the same time, residents are experiencing delayed permits, slower responses to phone calls and emails, disruptions in health and human services, and longer waits for essential County services. Increasingly, we are hearing from community members who describe the situation as a County in Crisis.

Perhaps most disappointing is how these employees have been treated after everything they have given to this community. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they were recognized as essential workers. While many County leaders and administrators worked remotely, these employees continued reporting to work every day to ensure residents received the critical services they depended upon. Today, those same public servants are being criticized simply because they are standing together for a fair contract. They deserve better.

Our members remain committed to the message that has carried them through this strike: One Day Longer, One Day Stronger. They are deeply grateful for the tremendous support they have received from fellow Teamsters, organized labor, elected officials, community members, and residents throughout Minnesota. That solidarity has strengthened their resolve and reminded them they are not standing alone.

The parties will return to mediation before the Bureau of Mediation Services on Thursday, July 9. We remain hopeful that Chisago County will arrive prepared to make meaningful progress toward a fair agreement. Our goal has never changed: reaching a settlement that allows these dedicated public employees to return to work serving the residents of Chisago County with the professionalism and commitment they have demonstrated throughout their careers.