Sisters & Brothers,

Your bargaining committee met this week to prepare for the next stage in negotiations: mediation on Wednesday, November 12. We have been meeting to prepare and have been continuing to receive support from UAW President Shawn Fain’s office.

What is mediation?
A neutral mediator appointed by the State Employment Relations Board (SERB) will meet separately with the union and management. Their role is to review the issues still on the table and go back and forth between the two sides to see if an agreement can be reached.
Mediation doesn’t usually lead to major breakthroughs on its own, but it can help put pressure on management to move off stubborn positions—especially when they see a united membership standing behind the committee.

Where we stand going in:
Management has made very little movement on the issues that matter most to our members. We have remained focused on what you’ve told us clearly:

• Real pay increases to keep up with the affordability crisis.
  We make less than we did five years due to inflation.
• Protection from rising healthcare costs.
  Premiums are going up 13% this year on top of an 8% increase last year.
• Competitive wages.
  We presented official state data showing that workers in the same positions in other counties are paid more than we are – this has to be fixed.

We are committed to not settling for less than what our members need and deserve.

What we need from you now:

Wear red on Wednesday, Nov 12 to show unity going into mediation.
Join us at 9:30 AM in Room 482 for a short update directly from the bargaining committee before the mediation session begins.

When management sees a unified, visible membership, it strengthens our hand at the table. The contract we win will be a reflection of the solidarity we show.

In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee