New IFO Logo!

We are excited to announce the IFO has a new logo! While our previous logo clearly showed that we are located in Minnesota, it didn’t tell audiences what distinguishes the important work of our members, who we are, or what we do. A subcommittee of the Board set out to develop an image that shows people that we are a union of educators as well as symbolizes the strengths and mission of our membership. After numerous revisions, we have adopted a new logo that portrays these important aspects of our organization.       

Our new logo is more than just a visual change; it reflects our commitment to the expansion of knowledge through solidarity. We believe the image better identifies our core mission, vision, and values.

Here are a few key elements of the new logo:

1. Open Book: The open book represents the sharing of knowledge. 

2. Raised Fist: The raised fist is a long-standing symbol of solidarity used by unions and the labor movement for over 100 years. The fist also has a long history as a symbol of defiance, solidarity, and fighting oppression.  The fist makes clear that our pursuit of equity will ensure that our collective voice is an inclusive voice.

3. Flame: The flame or torch are well-known symbols of knowledge and education and represent our commitment to the expansion of knowledge. 

4. Color Scheme: The color scheme is meant to be distinct from any of the MinnState universities, create some continuity with our old logo and materials, but also feel fresh and new. 

Our new logo will help us stand out among other Minnesota statewide organizations and clearly demonstrate who we are and what we do. It will be gradually integrated into all our communications, documents, and platforms in the coming weeks. FA Presidents will bring the first rounds of pins, stickers, and signs with the new logo to your campuses in the coming weeks! 

Your feedback and thoughts are essential to us, and we would love to hear your opinions on this exciting change. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to the IFO. 

If you have any questions or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at advocacy@ifo.org. 

IFO Membership Ratifies 2023-2025 Contract

I am thrilled to announce that IFO members overwhelmingly voted to approve the 2023-2025 IFO/MinnState contract settlement. 98% of the votes cast were in favor of the settlement terms!

This is a historic contract settlement and we got a historic vote turnout to go with it! The previous contract ratification vote in 2021 was, at the time, the highest percentage of votes cast in recent memory of ratification elections (71%). This year we beat that record with 74% of members casting a ballot! Thank you to everyone who took the time to cast a vote.

Now that the IFO membership has accepted the tentative agreement, the MinnState Board of Trustees is expected to vote to agree to the settlement next week. At that point, our new contract will go into effect. 

In the past, you may remember that there were legislative steps that had to take place for our ratified contract to take effect, but those steps were eliminated in the most recent legislative session through the efforts of a coalition of public employee unions, including the IFO. 

Once again, thank your negotiators for their tireless work this summer and a special thank you to Pat Arseneault and Tiffany Maris for providing the staff support for the Negotiations Team. Thank you to each of you who voted! 

We're Thankful for Our Members

Happy Thanksgiving! On behalf of the IFO, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you. Our union consists of an incredibly committed and talented group of educators, coaches, and counselors. Our students are fortunate to have you as an educator, coach, counselor, library faculty, and/or all the other roles you play in their lives. I am constantly driven, humbled, and honored to do my best to lead this organization to advocate for your needs and interests. 

The past two years have presented unthinkable challenges. Your work during a time of consistent adversity is commendable. I know many have had to deal with both personal and professional struggles and an immense amount of stress. Please know how much the IFO staff, our leaders, and I care about each one of you and wish you and your family safety, health, and joy during this holiday season.

I have found an important article that was published by Indian Country Today outlining six common myths and the story from the perspective of the Wampanoag about the true history of Thanksgiving when 90 Wampanoag shared provisions with the Pilgrims in 1621. I encourage you to take a moment to read this and consider the modern and historical impacts of this Thanksgiving tradition on our indigenous community members. 

We look forward to talking with you all in the near future once campus presentations begin.

In solidarity, 

Brent Jeffers

IFO President