Hello Supervisors,
My name is James Pointer, and I am a supervisor with the Minnesota Zoo and your MMA President. I have been working for the state for approximately 20 years. When I first started, I was new to unions, but I soon learned how important they are for workers. After a few years as a supervisor, I was invited to join the MMA board and have been involved ever since – serving on a variety of committees including the negotiations and executive committees, serving as Vice President and now serving as your President.
MMA is here to represent you, the supervisor. One way we do this is through the negotiations process. We just finished the 2025 – 2027 contract negotiations and while we always want more than we get, I do believe we have a good contract. It is not always about what you get, but what you prevent the state from getting. An example of this is the state wanted the option of taking pay steps away from supervisors for discipline. This is something the union would never accept, and we fought to keep the state from getting it. The negotiations process also takes time and we might not get what we want one year, but it lays the groundwork for a future win. This is true of the vacation donation and deferred comp match. Historically you had to take one or the other, but starting in July 2026, you will be able to do both, and the match should be automatic.
If you are reading this message, you have experienced our new web page. This is a project that was a long time coming. We knew the former web page was outdated so we found a new contractor and have been working to rebuild the web page, so it is more user friendly. The biggest improvement will be a member only section that will be coming soon. The web page is our way to effectively communicate with supervisors, so make sure you sign up for our email alerts, as they will let you know when a new communication has been posted on the web page.
MMA is here for you, so please reach out to a business representative or a board member if you have questions, suggestions or concerns. I thank you for the privilege to serve as your President and look forward to continuing to move MMA forward.