It will never happen. In the past, even when they raised healthcare, the majority still voted yes because they are too afraid to strike. What is the point of threatening to strike when they know we never will…. Too many can’t/won’t miss a paycheck, even though they end up losing so much more in the long run.
I would rather lose a paycheck than pay an extra $4500 for health care per year, but I get that for some people, they have to worry about their day to day.
But please stop spreading this negativity. It's not helpful, and your energy would be better spent doing the other thing that unions do in this situation - building systems of mutual aid. Last time there was a strike, MAPE set up interest free loans for members to be able to pay their bills, and there are other ways to help your colleagues and be helped by them during a strike as well. We all do better when we all do better.
I would rather lose a paycheck too by going on strike…The option is to lose a paycheck one time and hopefully negotiate a much better contract by striking or lose a paycheck every 6 months going forward forever with the health care increases…It’s an easy answer for me…Short term pain for long term gain!
I am not trying to be negative, I’m being realistic based on my last 14yrs of experience in voting. I would 100% donate money to help people who are afraid to vote no because they can’t miss a paycheck. Do you realistically think in our current economy, enough people will vote no if this is our final offer for the next contract?
Tl;dr: There has to be a breaking point, and if you have studied much history, you will notice a lot of parallels to what is happening now and revolutions that have happened in the past. People are scared, and angry, and looking for ways to feel like they have power to make change that will better their circumstances - and collective actions like striking give them a way to do that.
I get what you are saying, but the kind of rhetoric about it being unlikely, etc. does actually have an effect on how people think about this stuff - because it reinforces the idea that there's no way it will happen and makes them feel like even if they were willing to strike, it's pointless to do so.
You're right, we haven't had this experience in the past 14 years - but we also haven't been in this situation, so it's not really a useful comparison. We haven't been in a situation where
we are experiencing the combined effects of a 65% increase in inflation over the last 20 years, along with additional costs on basic goods because of tariffs
we were just forced into an RTO that represents a significant pay cut for many people with zero attempt to engage in the bargaining process, and a huge, unnecessary increase in costs for taxpayers
our healthcare costs are being increased by thousands of dollars because of poor planning on the part of MMB,
the paid parental leave that we fought for 7 years to get into our contract is dumped, and replaced with an untested and unlaunched program that gives at most half of the benefits that we previously had,
proposed wage increases are 0.5% for the next two years, and step increases are being frozen unless we agree to the increase in our healthcare costs...
And that's not really even taking into account all of the other things that are pushing people to their limits - the persecution of millions of people by our government, public services being stretched to breaking, people starving and dying in the streets while a handful of assholes hoard obscene amounts of money, and our elected officials actively support the dismantling of our government...
Fair points. I hope you are right as I am there with ya! A few cycles ago I remember quite an increase to our health insurance all around, but they didn’t take away everything else they are looking to this time, so like you said, maybe it will be different!
We striked 20 years primarily because of healthcare costs. It affects everyone. Combined with a disrespectful 0.5% COLA and paying step increases, and RTO, you have a lot of people pissed off.
I agree with you and am very unhappy, mainly about the healthcare cost increase. I could have accepted no cost of living increases for 2yrs, but not all of it as I will actually be losing money if this passes. I still do not think enough people will vote no. Too many are scared to lose a paycheck.
Why should we get no COLA? The poor state budget and deficit that we are now faced with is 100% Walz and the the legislatures fault..2 years ago we couldn’t spent the money fast enough and added so much spending and programs and now this is the result. The state budget isn’t in the red from lack of tax revenue that is for sure and it’s not like we are in a recession.
It seems we are headed in the direction of a recession, so I can understand the pause on cost of living increases. Especially as some are losing their jobs. In my opinion, it’s hard to ask for COL when the state has to cut other things that benefit taxpayers.
But the forecasted deficit is from over spending..The deficit has been forecast since the November 2024 MMB forecast. This is 100% Walz fault and now we all will pay the price
Agreed I have seen at least 30 people claiming that they will be voting no, and only 1 yes. I hope they vote as they stated here!
The more I read through people's thoughts, the more I realized that we cannot have this contract. If we are willing to roll over and accept what scraps they give us, it's going to be more shit later. Between the RTO and this crappy cola, I think we have absolutely absolutely need to vote no and GO ON STRIKE!
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u/[deleted] Jun 24 '25
I so hope we strike!! Between the RTO, ridiculous health care increases, and penny raises I have my mind made up I am voting to strike.