Minneapolis business leaders come out against proposed Labor Standards Board

MINNEAPOLIS — A controversial proposal in Minneapolis has workers excited and some business owners talking about leaving the city.

A city council committee will consider a resolution for a Labor Standards Board this week.

The 15-member board made up of employers, workers, consumers and other community stakeholders would advise the mayor and city council on industry-specific regulations and workplace policies.

Andrea Corbin, who runs Flower Bar in Minneapolis with the help of two employees, says the board would just be more red tape.

She doesn’t feel Minneapolis supports small businesses well. She’s considering moving her business to another city.

Corbin says she pays her employees as much as she can, and together they work out any issues.

“We definitely make sure that our environment is like a family and really take care of our employees because we know they can go somewhere else,” she said.

Lev Roth, an employee at a condo building, has worked to make the board a reality.

“It’s really important for workers to have a say in their jobs and have a seat at the table in their industry,” they said.

Roth says the board is about collaboration between employers and employees.

Business leaders don’t see it that way.

“It’s a solution in search of a problem,” said Mike Logan, the interim president and CEO of the Minneapolis Regional Chamber. “There are a lot of existing standards that exist to address violations in current law.”

A whopping 120 restaurant owners and hospitality leaders have come out against the board.

“I worry that this is going to continue to put our city on an island in terms of how we interact with businesses,” said Adam Duininck, the president and CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council.

Council Member Aurin Chowdhury, a co-author of the resolution, says she’s more concerned with the board helping other industries, like janitors and security guards, that she says have bigger labor issues.

“The board enables working-class people who are experts in their sectors to actively participate in policymaking,” she said.

The city council could vote on the proposal as early as next week.

David Schuman

David joined the WCCO team in April 2020, previously working at CBS 58 in Milwaukee. Prior to that, he worked in Las Vegas. While there, David covered several stories in the national spotlight, including the October 1 mass shooting and political visits from President Barack Obama and candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.