MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Target Field Concessions Workers Stage Unfair Labor Practices Strike

Unionized concessions workers at Target Field staged a 12-hour strike ahead of a sold-out Noah Kahan concert, accusing Delaware North of subcontracting union work to an organization recently shut down by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Delaware North disputed the union’s claims and said concession operations remained fully staffed.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN (August 6, 2026) Target Field concessions workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 17 staged an unfair labor practices strike Wednesday, August 5, as a labor dispute involving wages, benefits, subcontracting and workplace conduct continued at the Minneapolis ballpark.

Workers picketed from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ahead of a sold-out concert by singer-songwriter Noah Kahan.

The union represents approximately 500 concessions workers at Target Field. It accused food-service operator Delaware North of failing to bargain in good faith and assigning bargaining-unit work to people connected with Minnesota Funding Initiative, a Blaine-based organization recently shut down by the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.

Delaware North denied wrongdoing and said it had sufficient personnel and contingency plans to keep concessions operating during the concert.

Union Connects Strike to Organization Shut Down by State

Attorney General Keith Ellison announced the closure of the Minnesota Funding Initiative in late July.

According to Ellison’s office, the organization presented itself as a nonprofit grant program helping families pay for expenses connected with youth sports, dance and similar activities.

Participants were classified as volunteers and received grants based on the number of hours they worked at concession stands, the attorney general said.

Ellison described the organization as a “sham charity” that improperly treated workers as volunteers rather than employees. The arrangement allegedly allowed the organization and participating businesses to avoid employment requirements that ordinarily apply to paid labor.

The Minnesota Funding Initiative supplied workers at Target Field, Target Center, Allianz Field, U.S. Bank Stadium, Grand Casino Arena and several University of Minnesota locations, according to the attorney general.

The state’s action against the Minnesota Funding Initiative does not, by itself, establish that every business using its workers knowingly violated the law.

Delaware North Says Organization Passed Vetting Process

Delaware North said Minnesota Funding Initiative supplied documentation required under the company’s procedures for evaluating nonprofit fundraising organizations.

The company said it excluded Minnesota Funding Initiative from participating in its Target Field fundraising program after learning about the attorney general’s investigation and before the start of the 2026 Major League Baseball season.

Delaware North also said it expected hospitality and concessions operations to remain fully staffed throughout the August 5 concert and did not anticipate disruption to guests.

The company has maintained that partnerships allowing nonprofit groups to work concession stands can provide valuable fundraising opportunities for community organizations.

Union Alleges Broader Labor Violations

UNITE HERE Local 17 said the subcontracting dispute is part of a larger conflict with Delaware North.

The union accused the company of interrogating and surveilling workers during an earlier strike in June. It also said the company failed to bargain in good faith over a new labor agreement.

Workers have sought higher wages, more affordable health insurance and stronger job protections.

Those allegations remain disputed. An unfair labor practices strike reflects the union’s position that the employer violated federal labor law, but the allegation is not itself a final legal determination.

Labor Conflict Continues at Major Venue

Target Field is owned by the Minnesota Ballpark Authority and serves as the home of the Minnesota Twins. Delaware North operates food and beverage services at the stadium.

The August 5 action demonstrated the union’s ability to bring its campaign to one of the venue’s largest nonsporting events.

For workers, the dispute concerns more than whether concessions remained open for one concert. It raises broader questions about who performs work inside publicly prominent venues, how those workers are classified and whether community fundraising arrangements can coexist with union contracts and employment law.

No final resolution of the labor dispute had been announced as of Thursday.

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