After many months of difficult negotiations and mediation, AFSCME Local 66 and AFSCME Council 5 announced that a tentative agreement (TA) has finally been reached with the City of Duluth that covers nearly 500 AFSCME Council 5-represented workers.
The announcement came hours after almost 200 union members and allies lined a corridor in City Hall to support the negotiating committee.
“This tentative agreement represents a very hard-fought victory for our members who work tirelessly every day to provide core city services to the residents of Duluth,” said Wendy Wohlwend, President of AFSCME Local 66 and City of Duluth Bargaining Unit Chair. “While we are excited to have reached this TA for our workers that will improve their lives, it should not have taken months of incredibly difficult negotiations and mediation with the City—or the need for our union members to overwhelmingly reject the city's last offer and authorize a strike—to secure a fair contract from city leadership that has proclaimed itself to be pro-union.”
AFSCME Local 66 represents nearly 500 city workers who perform core city services, including snowplow drivers, water plant operators, library staff, and more. These workers stood together through months of uncertainty and fought hard to address key issues, including uncompetitive wages, short-staffing, and respect for workers’ time and dignity.
“The determination and solidarity of our members made this agreement possible,” said Bart Andersen, Executive Director of AFSCME Council 5. “These workers demanded what they deserved: a contract that honors their contributions to this city and reflects the values of fairness and respect that Duluth residents hold dear.”
According to the union, highlights of the TA include:
• Meaningful market adjustments that bring city workers closer to market rates.
• Protections that uphold dignity in scheduling and workload expectations and fought back against detrimental proposals.
 • Steps to address critical staffing shortages that have strained city services.