A push by labor advocates to establish a Labor Standards Board in Minneapolis has fallen short after the City Council failed to override a veto by Mayor Jacob Frey.
Two council members changed their votes after initially passing the ordinance in November, with Council Member Jamal Osman saying he wanted more time for community input.
“While I initially voted for the Labor Standards Board, I expressed concern over the limited opportunities for residents of Ward 6 and the East African community to engage in the process and learn about what was proposed,” Osman said in a statement after the vote.
He also added that he would be supporting a public comment period for community members to let the council know how they “want to be reflected” in the resolution before creating a Labor Standards Board that would be “balanced” and representative of his ward and East African community.
The ordinance establishing the Labor Standards Board passed in November by a 9-3 vote. On Thursday, the council voted 8 to 5 to override the veto with Council Member Andrea Jenkins also joining the no’s.
The board, which drew fierce criticism from a vocal group of restaurant owners and hospitality industry interests, would have been an advisory body that could help shape city policy, establish standard working conditions for different sectors, and address issues raised by workers, including wage disputes.
The board would’ve included representatives for workers, local government and employers.
Supporters of the ordinance included members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 26 and the Minneapolis-based Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha (CTUL).
Maryam Abdi, a child care worker and leader with the advocacy group Kids Count on Us, said in a statement Thursday’s results were “frustrating” and working in child care for 10 years.
“We need change. We are tired of seeing child care workers feeling guilty to ask for their rights because the child care system is broken. I am frustrated that Mayor Frey chose to veto this resolution and some Council members denied child care providers, teachers, and parents who were ready to come to the table,” Abdi said in a statement from SEIU Local 26.
Local 26 President Greg Nammacher also expressed disappointment over the vote but said the fight for better working conditions in Minneapolis would continue.
“It is incredibly frustrating that despite advocacy from groups representing tens of thousands of workers and residents of Minneapolis, the Mayor and some Council Members have chosen to side with low road employers who’ve said they would refuse to come to the table if their workers and community are there,” Nammacher said in the statement.
Meanwhile, the Minneapolis Works Together Coalition, which is backed by downtown, business, and hospitality industry groups, celebrated the successful veto.
“This decision sends a strong message — one that considers the needs of small businesses, employees, and the broader community. As Minneapolis continues its recovery and revitalization, we must prioritize collaboration and fairness to ensure our city remains a place where businesses can thrive, contribute to vibrant neighborhoods, and create opportunities for all,” the group said in a statement.
Local groups have been advocating for the Labor Standards Board for the last two years. At one point Frey also appeared to be on board.
But before the November 14 vote on the ordinance, the mayor said he would not be supporting the council’s version of the ordinance.
Frey’s three demands at the time for his support included equal representation from employers and employees on the board along with the power to appoint half the board members. The final request was a supermajority from board members for recommendations to advance to the council.
After the vote, Frey expressed his gratitude for the council members who voted against the override while committing to revisiting the issue in the future.
“We need a balanced Labor Standards Board that has participation from both business and labor — the proposal I vetoed didn’t. But this is not over. I’m committed to going back to the table to get this right by bringing all sides together around a unified vision,” Frey said in a statement.
Nammacher said labor groups would not be interested in a future board they considered to be “watered down.”
“Because of today’s outcome, we will be sticking with the current model of working with high road employers and community stakeholders to bring labor standards directly to the Council,” he said.
