ALT Teamsters Local 320 – UE Local 1105 Joint Statement on University of Minnesota Building Lockdowns Teamsters Local 320 and the Graduate Labor Union - UE Local 1105 are calling on the University of Minnesota administration and Board of Regents to work with our unions and re-open Coffman Memorial Union, academic workplaces and all other buildings on the Northrop Mall that have been closed due to campus protests. These closures are causing enormous hardships for union employees who work in these buildings. This includes hundreds of graduate assistants who have been locked out of their labs and offices (requiring them to hastily sundown experiments and move classes online without departmental guidance); 24 Teamster Dining employees at Coffman who are currently sitting at home without pay; and dozens of custodians in Facilities Management who are being forced to use their vacation time because their building is closed.

ALT The decision to close buildings has been an overreaction on the part of administration. The encampment and protests have not posed a threat to university students or employees who work, learn and teach in these buildings. Furthermore, the university’s directions to frontline workers, graduate assistants, and union representatives have been unclear and inconsistent with the typical reduced operations protocol. We are demanding that university administration address this situation immediately and work with our members and representatives to develop a plan to re-open campus as soon as possible.

ALT Demands Until buildings are re-opened, apply typical ‘reduced operations’ protocol - all non-essential employees should be paid to stay home, including B&G workers. No loss of pay by any worker on campus. No discipline for work unperformed, or facilities damaged because of reckless closure. Reopen campus buildings to the students, public, employees affected. No loss of academic progress for Graduate Assistants whose work is affected by building closures Clear guidelines that allow for safe lab work sundowning and remote instruction without undue increases to Graduate Assistant workload

ALT A subset of bargaining committee of about 15 people together wearing buttons to support non-economic contract language proposals