Minnesota ranked-choice voting group hires back workers after labor dispute

An influential group pushing to expand ranked-choice voting in Minnesota has resolved a public dispute with its just-formed staff union.

What's new: FairVote Minnesota announced in a statement Friday it has agreed to hire back several members of the bargaining committee who were laid off this summer.

• The organization apologized for "how the layoffs were handled."

Flashback: Former employees accused the group of "union avoidance strategies" by terminating the employees.

• Hundreds, including influential DFLers and labor leaders, signed an open letter urging FairVote MN to recall the workers.
• The tiff threatened to undermine the work to promote the voting system.

What's next: The re-hired employees will lead "voter education" efforts ahead of November elections in Minneapolis and other cities using RCV, and renew a push to implement the system statewide, per the statement.