NEWS CONFERENCE: TEAMSTER STATE COURT REPORTERS VOTE TO AUTHORIZE STRIKE AGAINST MINNESOTA STATE COURT ADMINISTRATION

ST. PAUL, Minn., Dec. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamster State Court Reporters have voted to authorize a strike against State Court Administration (SCA) by an overwhelming margin. There are approximately 275 State Court Reporters in all ten judicial districts throughout the State of Minnesota who will be affected by a potential strike.

The strike authorization vote is a direct result of SCA's unwillingness to negotiate in regular collective bargaining sessions the IFP Transcript Pilot Program and the subsequent outsourcing of IFP transcripts.    

The IFP Transcript Pilot Program ends the practice to allow State Court Reporters to charge a fee for IFP transcripts and rescinds the fee court reporters collect for copies of all their prepared transcripts. Furthermore, the Pilot Program allows for SCA to make agreements with "transcription services" that allows outsourcing of State Court Reporter transcription services. Under any outsourcing scheme, the integrity and professionalism of the Official Court Record is at serious risk. 

"This strike authorization isn't about traditional bargaining issues such as pay and benefits," says Sami Gabriel, Teamsters Local 320 President and chief negotiator. "This is about preserving the Official Court Record by highly trained and highly skilled State Court Reporters."

WHAT: News Conference  
WHO: Teamsters Local 320 President and chief negotiator Sami Gabriel. Local 320 Business Agent Chad Orgon. State Court Reporters Brittany Blesener and Shambrie Lesniak.  
WHY: State Court Reporters represented by Teamsters Local 320 voted to authorize a strike against State Court Administration over IFP Transcript Pilot Program.  
WHERE: Zoom Meeting https://bit.ly/3yqtw7Y
WHEN: Thursday, December 16, 2021 at 11:00 AM CDT. 

Media Contact:
Sami Gabriel, 612-916-1339
Email: [email protected]
Zoom Meeting Link: 
https://bit.ly/3yqtw7Y

SOURCE Teamsters Local 320