FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT:
Trevor Oliver (651) 224-3781

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 11, 2006

District Court Finds State Violated Court Clerk Pay Protection Statute

A Minnesota District Court judge ruled Thursday that Minnesota's state court administration violated Minnesota law when it refused to recognize pay increases obtained by 14 Goodhue County court clerks shortly before their transfer to State control on July 1, 2004. The clerks, formerly Goodhue County employees, reached a contract in June, 2004, to implement a county pay equity study which found that the clerks were underpaid by an average of $3 an hour. Retired Judge Stephen L. Muehlberg, specially appointed to hear the case, found that Minnesota Statute 179A.103 protected the Goodhue County court clerks' pay as negotiated, and that the State Court Administrator lacked authority to change employees' county labor contracts on transfer to State employment.

The Minnesota Teamsters Public and Law Enforcement Employees' Union, Local No. 320, the union representative for all State court personnel, filed a lawsuit seeking interpretation and clarification of 179A.103 on behalf of the 14 employees. "We are very pleased with the result." said Patrick Kelly of Kelly & Lemmons, P.A., a St. Paul firm serving as special litigation counsel for the Teamsters Local 320. "The court's memorandum was well reasoned and clearly addressed the issues." Trevor Oliver, also of Kelly & Lemmons, filed the briefs and argued the case for the union at a hearing August 9.

Thursday's ruling granted the Teamsters summary judgment on the legal question of whether the State violated the law by paying lower wages. It did not address back pay to the employees or other damages stemming from the violation, which Teamsters estimate at over $150,000 for the group of employees. The union will file a second action in district court seeking a monetary judgment if no agreement is reached on the back pay due to the Goodhue County employees. The State also has the option to appeal Judge Muehlberg’s decision to the Court of Appeals.

A copy of Judge Muehlberg's ruling is included with this release. The case caption is Minnesota Teamsters Public and Law Enforcement Employees' Union, Local #320 v. Minnesota State Court Administrator, a/k/a Minnesota Judicial Branch, Ramsey County District Court File No. C2-05-010841.

For further information on the case, contact Trevor Oliver at (651) 224-3781.