Over 1,000 Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Workers Walk Out on Strike

UAW Local Union 1781 (Region 1), UAW Local Union 2500 (Region 1), UAW Local Union 2145 (Region 1D) and UAW Local Union 2256 (Region 1D), entered into negotiations with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan earlier this summer. Their objective: to secure job stability and equitable pay for all dedicated union members who tirelessly provide customer service for the healthcare giant. We provide essential service to retirees Medicare Advantage members, the general public and federal employees. These services include and are not limited to pre-authorization, claim support, explanation of benefits, billing, customer call centers, and provider services.

Our primary goal was to abolish the multi-tiered pay structure, a system that currently requires a staggering TWENTY-TWO years for an employee at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to reach pay parity. Such a system is untenable for our union brothers and sisters, who strive to provide their families with a comfortable standard of living. 

Furthermore, we implored Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to cease outsourcing and contracting out job classifications previously negotiated by our union. This practice has led to a significant decrease in our membership by over 40 percent in the last decade. 

The Union proposed strategic solutions to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan to correct these discrepancies and begin the process of acknowledging the value of our work, our commitment to customer service, and to ensure equal pay for equal work.  

Regrettably, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan rejected our demands, steadfastly maintaining a twenty-year service length prerequisite for pay equality. They also expressed an unwavering intention to continue outsourcing our union work without any restriction. 

In response to this ineligibility to negotiate, we have called for a strike action - a demand for fair treatment and respect for our workforce. The time has come to say: Enough is enough! The UAW insists that Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan value their front-line union employees as much as they value their profit margins and the CEO’s substantial $17 million salary in 2022. Our call for job security, pay equality, and robust benefits must be met, especially in these times of soaring corporate profits. 

We, UAW Local Union 1781 (Region 1), UAW Local Union 2500 (Region 1), UAW Local Union 2145 (Region 1D) and UAW Local Union 2256 (Region 1D), urge you to lend your support to our brothers and sisters in their pursuit of a fair and equitable agreement that guarantees job security. 

We stand firm on our demand for fairness, equality, and respect. Together, we can bring about positive change. 

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