Minneapolis parks workers say they'll strike starting this week

MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis park workers announced Tuesday they'll begin a weeklong strike on the Fourth of July holiday.

Hundreds of workers with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board represented by LIUNA Local 363 will start striking Thursday, the union announced.

On June 19, workers voted to authorize a strike . The union said it is fighting for fair and competitive wages, worker protections, more affordable health insurance, and streamlined grievance procedures among other demands.

The city of Minneapolis has not yet responded to the strike, but when the authorization vote was announced, the park board said it had "been negotiating in good faith since December 3, 2023, with Local 363 representatives for a multi-year contract for park employees that is competitive, fair and equitable" and that it was "hopeful that MPRB and Local 363 leadership can reach an agreement."

Union leaders and workers plan to speak about the strike and the current status of negotiations at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

The same week the parks workers voted to authorize a strike, laborers at nine wastewater treatment plants in the Twin Cities did the same. Those workers have not yet announced a formal work stoppage.