Bargaining Update July 13, 2023
I wanted to take a minute to provide an update on where we are in our negotiations.
After 14 weeks of negotiations, your bargaining team is still working tirelessly to achieve the best possible deal. This hasn’t been an easy process. Like many of you, I’m frustrated by the State’s offer, but we have continued to move forward and have reached a tentative agreement on key non-economic sections of our contract language. You can read more about our tentative agreement language here.
We knew this process wasn’t going to be easy. This is a tough fight, especially in light of the current deficit, but we have to stick together. Our public actions ARE making a difference. The problems we’re facing as workers aren’t going to be solved overnight. It will take some years to achieve all of our goals. But if we remain resilient and keep fighting for the respect we all deserve — after we ratify and start prepping for the next fight — we will win.
We’ve also heard your feedback, including a handful of people calling for a strike. Going on strike is a powerful tool and one of the many concerted activities members have to demonstrate their collective power.
To be clear, there are two types of legally permissible strikes:
- An Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) Strike, which happens after an employer has committed an unfair labor practice.
- An economic strike, which happens after the two sides (in our case, the union and employer) are at an impasse in negotiations and do not see a path forward.
All of our options are still being considered, but in the interim, we must continue to show power at our worksites and support our Union solidarity in order to build strength. And your bargaining team will continue to work day and night to make meaningful progress at the table. In the coming weeks, we will need to make some hard decisions, but we remain committed to negotiating the best contract possible and to keeping you informed every step of the way.
Irene Green
Vice President for Bargaining
SEIU Local 1000