After 11 weeks on strike, the UAW and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan have reached a tentative verbal agreement for more than 1,000 employees.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the UAW touted the verbal agreement as having “historic wins.” They say the deal boosts wages, reduces wage progression from 22 years down to five, offers major ratification bonuses, as well as a $1,000 yearly inflation bonus.
Margaret Mock, the UAW’s Secretary-Treasurer, spoke highly of the deal. “Our members have proven that when workers stick together, they can achieve historical gains at the bargaining table,” she said.
“Twenty-two years to reach top pay is unacceptable. Because of our members’ solidarity on the picket lines and our negotiators’ hard work at the bargaining table, we were able to address many of our demands.”
In a statement, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan said the deal was reached after several phone calls between CEO Daniel J Loepp and UAW President Shawn Fain. “On Wednesday, our bargaining teams will meet to formalize our agreement – bringing our employees one step closer to returning to work. I congratulate and thank President Fain for reaching out and working directly with me to get us to the starting line of the ratification process,” Loepp said.
The deal still has yet to be formalized and ratified. Workers will remain on strike until ratification is complete. It will cover about 1,300 workers from four unions.
