Minneapolis and police union request state mediator for contract talks

State of play: Minneapolis officials invited the public and press to witness this year's police contract talks — a victory for an activist coalition that has pushed for access to the sessions since 2019.

• The coalition believes opening negotiations might help overhaul a department that's now facing state and federal scrutiny for racially biased, heavy-handed policing.

What they're saying: Stacey Gurian-Sherman, an attorney for the coalition Minneapolis for a Better Police Contract, said the union "wants to bargain behind closed doors so they don't have any scrutiny and anybody interfering with what has been a very one-sided process that has not benefited the public."

• Gurian-Sherman contends that outside of the public eye, negotiators have caved on enacting a long list of reforms in the contract — including, for example, a discipline policy "that is both fair and easy to understand."

The other side: Jim Michels, an attorney for the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis, told Axios in an email that the request for a mediator "had nothing to do" with whether negotiations were public. They feel a mediator "could assist the parties in progressing toward a settlement."

• The city council recently shot down new hiring and retention bonuses for police, but Michels said that also wasn't the reason for requesting mediation.

Catch up quick: Gurian-Sherman's coalition sued the city in June 2021, citing a state law that allows the public to attend negotiations between unions and government employers. Although a Hennepin County judge largely sided with the city, the activists later reached a settlement under which Minneapolis promised to open police contract talks to the public through 2028.

Yes, but: State law and the settlement allow state mediators to close their sessions. Mitchell Hamline School of Law professor emeritus Joseph Daly told Axios that most mediators aren't likely to allow spectators.

• "It can turn into a disaster. People start playing to the public. They'll be playing to the TV camera," said Daly, who's been a mediator since 1974. "The public being involved in the mediation process— I'm not sure that will reform the police."

Of note: "The transparency for the first several sessions was certainly valuable," Mayor Jacob Frey told Axios. But, the mayor added, "I don't think anybody was under the false expectation that the entire thing was going to be conducted that way prior to going to a closed mediation."

• Minneapolis police union leaders called in a state mediator to help reach their most recent contract agreement with the city in 2022.
• Gurian-Sherman said the mayor's statement showed he's "once again capitulating" to the union.
• Even if contract talks move behind closed doors, Mitchell Hamline law professor David Larson said the activists have still won a lot of visibility into the negotiations. So far, the city has posted a paper trail of offers and counteroffers on this page.

What's next: Beyond contract negotiations, state and federal courts will soon begin forcing a laundry list of changes at the Minneapolis Police Department.