St. Paul labor relations office outlines bargaining process, civil service changes and timeline for dozens of contracts

Jason Schmidt, deputy director of talent and equity and the city’s labor relations manager, told the St. Paul Finance & Budget Committee on Monday that the city is about 98% unionized, with 25 unions consolidated into 22 contracts and multiple contract windows opening this year and next.

Schmidt said the City Charter (chapter 23) assigns day‑to‑day labor relations functions to the mayor and that the council’s role is to approve collective bargaining agreements, memorandums of understanding and wage rates by resolution (two readings). He outlined the state Public Employees Labor Relations Act (PELRA), the role of interest arbitration for essential units and the Bureau of Mediation Services’ role in helping parties reach agreement.

The presentation was meant to explain how contracts are opened, negotiated and ratified and to signal how council members can expect to see and engage with labor items on future agendas. Chair Yang and several council members asked for more timely briefings and a calendar showing when bargaining windows and approvals will reach the council.

Why this matters: St. Paul’s workforce and its contracts affect city operations and the budget. Large, citywide pattern agreements can set pay and benefits across departments; arbitration or strikes pose operational and fiscal risks.

Schmidt described the bargaining…