Custodians, food service workers go on strike at University of Minnesota campuses

Source: MPR News

Estelle Timar-Wilcox
September 9, 2025 9:21 AM

Custodians, maintenance staff and food service workers began a strike at several University of Minnesota campuses late Monday.

That strike by 1,400 members of Teamsters Local 320 spread to additional campuses early Tuesday — and is set to expand to the U of M Twin Cities campus on Tuesday afternoon.

Union members rejected a final contract offer from the university last week. A spokesperson for the union said the pay raises in the contract offer were lower than raises offered to other employee groups at the university.

“Workers are demanding parity with other university union settlements and preservation of hard-fought gains won in mediation,” the union said in a statement announcing the strike.


A cyclist rides along the Washington Avenue Bridge on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis on Sept. 6, 2024. Sophia Marschall | MPR News file

Read more: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/09/09/custodians-food-service-workers-strike-university-of-minnesota-campuses