Why settling teacher contracts is taking longer for Minnesota school districts

Fewer than one-third of the state's school districts have settled contracts so far this year, and two of the biggest districts are already in mediation.

By Eder Campuzano

Union members, teachers and supporters cheered during a rally held by Education Minnesota outside the Anoka-Hennepin district headquarters. (Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

An unusually large number of Minnesota school districts are heading into the end of the year still trying to reach contracts with their teachers unions.

The protracted negotiations are largely driven by conversations about inflation and the rising cost of health care benefits amid an increase in state funding for schools. Unions want major boosts in pay while districts say they need money to cover new state mandates including summer unemployment insurance for hourly workers.

As of Dec. 6, nearly 100 of the state's 330 school districts have settled contracts with their teachers unions, Education Minnesota spokesman Chris Williams said. At this time in 2021, more than 150 had settled. The state's two largest school districts — Anoka-Hennepin and St. Paul — are entering mediation with their teachers unions.

The Anoka-Hennepin teachers union and district remain about $36 million apart in salary negotiations alone. In St. Paul, district officials say the overall gulf is $94 million.

Scott Croonquist, executive director of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts, said he expected a longer-than-usual bargaining season after the Legislature allowed unions to bargain over staffing ratios and testing policies.

"Those used to be considered managerial rights, which have now been inserted into the collective bargaining process," Croonquist said. "That certainly adds another layer into negotiations."

Many districts are also paying more for some services than they did before the pandemic, he said. Contracts with bus companies have been more expensive due to gas prices. Schools also had to increase pay for employees such as custodians and cafeteria workers to compete with businesses offering higher wages amid record low unemployment.

"Districts have had to respond to the market and increase salaries just to decrease vacant positions," Croonquist said.