Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is trying a unique strategy to get remote workers to return downtown: insulting them.
“I don’t know if you saw this study the other day,” Frey told an audience of 1,000 at Minneapolis Downtown Council’s annual meeting on Wednesday. “What this study clearly showed … is that when people who have the ability to come downtown to an office don’t — when they stay home sitting on their couch, with their nasty cat blanket, diddling on their laptop — if they do that for a few months, you become a loser!”
The comment was a “complete joke” and the study was made-up, the Minneapolis mayor’s office told Fortune, but there are serious facts to back up Frey’s worry about the impact of remote work on Minneapolis’ downtown economy.
Stop man… You had me at cat blanket, no need to say anything else, I will continue from home.
Oh no, my feelings are so hurt … Hearing a politician teach me about work is like hearing a priest teach me about sex with an adult.
…and run companies from home, we are nurses, doctors, lawyers, customer service, support techs, and logistics. We work 8, 10, 12+ hours to help build companies we will never benefit from. Jacob, we don’t give two fucks about you either. What’s your point?
I’ve been a loser my whole life but so has everyone else. It’s time for use to steer the ship. 🚢 ⚓
k. brb going to diddle my laptop
what a shit post.
The comment was a “complete joke” and the study was made-up, the Minneapolis mayor’s office told Fortune, but there are serious facts to back up Frey’s worry about the impact of remote work on Minneapolis’ downtown economy.
Really now? It’s all bullshit, but its really real too you know!
the tax hole is shrinking.
Lol. Lmao even.
Working remotely has let me support local businesses more than before. I’m helping out a community I want to live in, not one I’m forced to commute to and just work in.
Sorry, you aren’t spending your money the right way. Private equity groups such as Blackstone have rigged the economy in their favor through capital investment and regulatory capture. They are entitled to your money and major entirely foreseeable shifts in the way the peasants toil are no excuse for them not getting it.
You mean happy losers that don’t let corporations control their lives?
Maybe the world needs more losers then …
Frey isn’t going to last long here. Lots of Minnesotans dislike him across the political spectrum, for obvious reasons.
Its a shame, because by and large it looks like his politics don’t suck. But the guy just can’t help but get sucked in by corporate real estate tycoons because… that’s how you get the money to run for Mayor, I guess.
I can’t read this article, but I’ve seen (and posted) other articles about this. Governor Walz responded with “I guess I’m a nasty cat blanket person then”. The DFL isn’t a sack of shit, but Mayor Frey sure is. And he got re elected last time because he’s about as conservative as can win here and the downtown businesses threw a bunch of money in his campaign.
Maybe they should have used that money to entice workers back into the office…
The whole back to the office argument is stupid. Rather than trying to force people back businesses should realize this is an opportunity to decrease their outgoings. Sell the giant waste of space office in an expensive part of town, and just carry on doing what you’re already doing.
I made them put that I am a permanent homework in my contract so they can’t make me go back into that office. But they still maintain the physical building which is mad. Now they’re just getting the worst of both worlds, their employees are removed yet their paying for a building. About a year before the lockdown they replaced the expensive staffed canteen with vending machines, and that pissed everyone off. They still haven’t undone that yet so why should I go back?
The only “people” who truly are interested in RTO are real estate holding companies desperately trying to stave off financial ruin, and executives/billionaires who have investments therein.
The arm twisting is coming right from the top and isn’t going to work long term.
It’s daft though because at the rate AI development is going this was going to happen anyway even without COVID.
See, that’s the problem most normies don’t know: These offices have LONG leases. They’re basically a home owner that bought on a bubble.
They still deserve to lose the investment, though. That’s what all their money is for, right? Taking risks? Sounds like they should’ve kept more around for a rainy day…
but there are serious facts to back up Frey’s worry about the impact of remote work on Minneapolis’ downtown economy.
Yeah idk what I expected from Fortune
One study showed that at least 72% of remote workers in the area did in fact own a “nasty cat blanket.”
Well sure but it’s hurtful when you say it like that
I wish I were a loser, but I have to drive to work, use tools, and make my back sore carrying a ladder around.
What a fucking tool
