| Dear Colleagues, We have a start date! UUP and the State will meet on February 4 to begin negotiating a new contract. Our current Agreement expires on July 1, 2026. We want an on-time contract for the first time in recent memory. No delayed raises. No interrupted programs. No uncertainty. We want an on-time contract that meets the needs of our members. In recent rounds, the State has not been willing to begin negotiations until the contract has expired or is about to expire. Getting the State to the table early in this round is an important first step, made possible because of the momentum created by member involvement in our bargaining preparations. We’ve been moving rapidly to prepare without sacrificing the member-driven engagement and thorough preparation, that characterizes our union’s approach to bargaining. As you know we’ve hosted town hall negotiations visits, an extensive negotiation survey where more than 13,000 members identified bargaining priorities, weekly “Know Your Contract” workshops, and much more. Our Negotiations Team has been meeting regularly since April to develop a focused, ambitious, transformational package of bargaining proposals that address the issues raised by our members. Now we are ready to bargain. To achieve the contract we deserve, however, members must stay informed and involved at every step. Can we count on you to take the following immediate steps? Register for a virtual town hall on Feb 3 at noon to kick-off our contract negotiations and show support for your bargaining team. Log in to the UUP Members’ Only page to see our first Negotiations Bulletin. We’ll post regular, detailed reports on progress at the table as well as actions members can take. Log in yourself, but better yet, talk to your colleagues to make sure everyone has login information. If you are having trouble signing in, please call 518-640-6624. Request a “Ready to Bargain” poster for your door or window to show support for our union.Plan to wear UUP or red clothing on 2/4. Take a photo and post to social media with the hashtag #UUPContract. Please tag @uupinfo when posting. Become a Rapid Responder so that we can contact you about important updates, announcements, or actions. We’re excited to get to the table to fight for the workplace provisions that our members want and deserve. Thanks for taking these first steps in our contract campaign; expect more information and contract actions to come! In Solidarity, Fred Kowal, UUP President Bret Benjamin, UUP Chief Contract Negotiator |
Contract Negotiations Start Feb 4
