By Sara Quam
State workers are back on the job after the two striking unions Sunday accepted contract deals with the state.
The most affected local agency, the Minnesota Veterans Home, is operating as it was before the two-week walkout began.
Administrator Pam Barrows said the transition back to the regular staff members has been fairly smooth: however, worker relations may have suffered over disagreements on whether to strike.
"It'll take time for relationships to heal, but they will because we all want the same thing, and that's quality care for the residents," Barrows said.
Union directors will recommend ratification of the contracts in coming weeks, even though workers are now back at their jobs.
The new contracts were agreed upon shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday and give American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees members a 3.5-percent wage increase for each of the next two years. Minnesota Association of Professional Employees receive 3-percent raises for each of the next two years.
The previous final offer from the state to AFSCME was 3 percent raises for all employees for two years and a one-time 4 percent for MAPE.
The unions say the strike was worth their while, but if it had lasted much longer, it wouldn't have been.
Sticking points with both unions were specifics in health insurance, and it's what local strikers were most vocal about. They said increased co-payments and premiums would make it almost impossible to take home any raise offered.
Union members say the timing of the strike, shortly after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, was difficult in terms of public relations.