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Minnesota cancels classes Monday as teachers strike enters 10th day

Minneapolis School Strike
Posted at 6:27 PM, Mar 21, 2022
and last updated 2022-03-21 18:27:35-04

Minnesota teachers have been on strike since March 8.

On Monday, the strike entered its tenth day, which led to the cancelation of classes of more than 31,000 students who attend Minneapolis Public Schools.

According to CNN, the teachers are asking for better wages and smaller class sizes.

On Sunday, the district stated on its website that they had made the district's "last, best, and final offer" to the educational support professional (ESP) chapter of the union.

The district said the offer includes paying 85% of ESPs $23 per hour or more, which would bring most of the full-time support staff to making $35,000 annually.

The offer also includes paying them $3,000 in bonuses over the next two years, totaling $6,000.

Wages would also increase over two years between 8.2% and 34.6%, with an average increase of 15.6%, to align "with MFT, MPS and community value for liveable wages."

"MPS is reaching beyond its financial means on behalf of our ESPs and will need to make more than $10 million in reductions for the next school year as a result," the district said.

On Sunday, union officials offered their own proposal, saying in a video posted to their Facebook page that they want ESPs to have a minimum $35,000 annual salary.