Our History

In 1980 the decision was made to include all school workers and MAAP left MEA and was renamed the Minnesota School Employees Association.

During the next four years, MSEA experienced rapid growth. This growth spurt was accompanied by increasing financial difficulties. By 1984 MSEA’s Delegate Assembly elected to affiliate with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU).

Following affiliation, MSEA turned from organizing new units and focused on providing better representation and service to existing MSEA members.

In the summer of 1989 MSEA’s Board of Directors and staff drafted MSEA’s mission statement which has been MSEA’s guiding light.

In the early 1990s, MSEA began actively organizing new bargaining units. In 1995 the Delegate Assembly voted to leave SEIU and MSEA became an independent union once again. By the end of the 1990s, MSEA’s recently empowered members were experiencing their first serious strikes and contract campaigns.

In the past decade, MSEA has faced new challenges from without (attempted raids by the Teamsters, AFSCME and Education Minnesota) and within. In order to prepare ourselves to meet these new challenges, we must direct our focus to the core ideals contained in our mission statement – Growth, Dignity, Member Empowerment, Democracy, Fiscal Responsibility and Professionalism. By understanding our past, we are better able to shape our future. By adhering to our mission statement, the next 30 years will be as successful as the last 30 years!