May
20
2024
Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham made the following statement upon adjournment of the 2024 Legislative Session:
“In 2023 Governor Walz and DFLers delivered the most pro-worker legislative session in more than a generation. Their work in 2024 built on those wins and continued Minnesota’s path towards becoming the best state for working people.
“In 2024, lawmakers strengthened our new Paid Leave and Earned Sick Time laws, empowered the state to prosecute employers who illegally misclassify workers, expanded & clarified collective bargaining rights & organizing standards in the public sector, added safety standards for workers installing broadband, guaranteed rideshare drivers higher and reliable pay statewide, and much more.
“While we understand that some compromise was necessary on the rideshare bill, we are concerned about the provisions that pre-empt Minneapolis from setting higher rates or collecting certain data. We acknowledge this is not widespread preemption, however, we strongly urge lawmakers and Governor Walz to avoid preemption in the future. Labor renews our commitment to fight further preemption of local labor standards in the future.
“The 2023-2024 biennium was an unprecedented step forward for working Minnesotans, but much more remains before we can truly be considered the best state for working people – including protections for healthcare workers and further balancing the scales between workers and employers.
“The next step on the path to making Minnesota the best state for workers – no matter what we look like, where we come from, or what we do for a living – is to keep and expand the working families’ majority in the Legislature for another two years.
“Union volunteers are ready to have conversations this fall with their fellow members at the workplace, at the doors, on the phones, and online about what happens when we elect people who share our values and the importance of returning them to the Capitol in 2025.”