At Representative Convention, delegates chart course for union work
Over 500 delegates met at the DoubleTree hotel in Bloomington to discuss union business and set Education Minnesota’s organizational priorities for the next year.
On April 24-25, over 500 delegates met in Bloomington for the annual Education Minnesota Representative Convention. The RC is the union’s highest governing body; members convene to discuss changes to the organization’s constitution and bylaws, along with action items that will guide the work of the union over the next year.
This year, delegates heard 14 action items. Eleven passed, two failed and one was sent to the Legislative Action Committee for review. The approved action items direct Education Minnesota to:
- Post an update on the Education Minnesota website of which action items were passed at the 2026 RC by March 1, 2027.
- Create a committee to research and develop support for locals as they follow state recommendations to separate union communications from their employers’ systems.
- Reinstate the teacher Pension Advisory Group (PAG).
- Campaign for statewide, stable health insurance for all school employees.
- Establish a statewide ESP conference to provide meaningful opportunities for professional development, leadership training and collaboration among ESPs.
- Continue the task force’s investigation of investment of pension money into companies that violate human rights, civil liberties, and more.
- Create a Pension Advisory Group for ESPs.
- Empower locals to support other locals during negotiations through sharing information, showing up to contract-related events for locals in their area and reporting settlement data to Education Minnesota.
- Use its resources and power to defend the democratic process and the results of the 2026 general election.
- Actively oppose any recommendations or policies resulting from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education that reduce special education funding, increase the special education cross-subsidy or shift financial burdens onto local school districts and communities; advocate for full and sustainable funding to ensure students with disabilities receive legally required services.
- Convene a special education network of rank-and-file teacher and ESP members to provide guidance and feedback on the challenges special educators face, particularly related to funding cuts and shortfalls.
Action items are directives to Education Minnesota that require a specific action and generally expire at the next Representative Convention, unless they are renewed by a new action item.
In addition to these action items, delegates approved two amendments to our constitution and bylaws. The first amendment adds an “apprentice” membership category, to account for teacher apprenticeship program participants. The second amendment updates the way dues are assessed to account for members who take paid leave through the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act.
RC delegates also elected governing board members for the at-large districts, as well as NEA directors. The full list of governing board members is available in the member portal of our website.
Delegates and attendees heard from several guest speakers, including NEA President Becky Pringle, AFT President Randi Weingarten and Minnesota AFL-CIO President Bernie Burnham. All three speakers applauded educators’ advocacy and efforts for their communities last winter, and expressed the importance of electing pro-public education and pro-labor majorities this fall.
On Saturday afternoon, Gov. Tim Walz spoke briefly to attendees and received a map signed by members as a thank-you gift for the pro-public education work he has done as governor.
Education Minnesota honored several awardees, including the ESP of the Year and the recipients of the Peterson-Schaubach Leadership Award, the Human Rights Award, and the We Are One Solidarity Award.
