Union workers at the University of Minnesota need your support: tell the University administration that you want your tax dollars to fund public education with good jobs and livable wages, not administrative bloat.

Your tax dollars help fund the University of Minnesota, the second largest employer in the state.The University of Minnesota claims to be a good steward of these tax dollars, but the University's latest $5.1 billion budget shows us exactly where the administration’s priorities lie. We’re facing 6.5% tuition hikes for students, and 7% cuts to all academic programs.

And yet, administrative bloat continues to grow.

• The number of administrative employees at the University has outpaced student enrollment, increasing by 20% since 2016.

• The University has continually slashed academic budgets. In 2001, 30% of the U’s budget was for instruction. This budget will decrease that to 19%.

• While departments face massive cuts, administrative costs will be cut by less than 1%.

• The University is hiring a 12th vice president at an annual base salary of $395,000 a year, plus $275,000 in deferred compensation.

• The U’s administrative costs top $1 billion– almost 20% of the budget. In 2025 alone, over $111 million was spent on consultants.

Meanwhile, AFSCME workers at the University of Minnesota are told that cuts mean they have to tighten their belts. All this while:

• Inflation for 2025 is projected to be at least 3.2%.

• The University is proposing an increase to insurance premiums.

• AFSCME workers pay up to 5% of their annual salaries just to park at work, with parking costs rising constantly.

• New payroll taxes to fund PFMLA.

• A minimum 5% annual increase is needed just to maintain the status quo for frontline AFSCME workers.

AFSCME workers make the University run. AFSCME workers care for the pets in the Veterinary Medical Center, clean MN’s teeth in the dental clinics, set up labs so our students can learn, make the University’s libraries run, and care for your kids at Child Development Laboratory School.

That is why we are demanding better for the staff, students and University community.

AFSCME 3800 workers are demanding:

1) REAL RAISES THAT KEEP UP WITH THE COST OF LIVING
Many of our workers are struggling, and the university needs to do better!

2) SAFE AND ADEQUATE STAFFING
Our workers do important work as early childhood educators, veterinary technicians, dental assistants and so much more. Our union workers who do this work care deeply about the work they do. They care for the children they teach, the cats and dogs whose lives they help save, the students and faculty they serve, and the patients they work on. The university has severely understaffed some of this critical work that our union members do. To the point that it is harmful to both the workers and the people and animals they are caring for.

3) CODIFYING REPRODUCTIVE AND GENDER AFFIRMING CARE IN OUR CONTRACT
As attacks on trans rights increase nationwide, our union stands committed to fighting for the health and safety of our trans siblings in our union.

4) RECOGNIZING INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY AS A UNIVERSITY HOLIDAY
The University of Minnesota is a land grant institution, which itself acknowledges it is on stolen Dakota land. However, acknowledgements are not enough. As a faculty member from the American Indian Studies Department testified to in our July 9th bargaining session, the University needs to recognize Indigenous People's Day, not for a simple day off, but for a day of education and reflection. The University can and should do this.