TA 2026 v2 — Highlights & Summary | UAW Local 699 / Nexteer

All Articles (28)

✅ Gains (9)

⚠ Concerns (3)

⚡ Mixed (2)

🔍 Verify (4)

📋 Unchanged (10)

💵 Money 💰 Wages 🏥 Sick Time (ESTA) 📋 Attendance 🩺 Healthcare 📦 Other Changes 📋 Unchanged 📊 Bottom Line

💵

Money Up Front — Two Payments at Ratification

GAIN

$2,000

Ratification Bonus
All active seniority employees

$3,000

Grievance Settlement Check
~1,161 non-NH, non-Trades employees

Both paid upon ratification. Employees on leave receive payment when they return to active status. Neither was in the 2021 contract. Eligible members receive $5,000 combined.

💰

Wages — Increases All Classifications Through 2030

GAIN

Classification	Now (2021)	At Ratification	2027	2028	2029	2030
Production	$21.50	$22.93	$23.50	$24.50	$25.50	$27.00
Specialized	$22.75	$24.68	$25.25	$26.25	$27.25	$28.25
Semi-Skilled	$24.25	$26.18	$26.75	$27.75	$28.75	$29.75
TL Semi-Skilled	$24.75	$27.18	$27.75	$28.75	$29.75	$30.75
Trades	$38.00	$42.00	$43.14	$44.26	$45.50	$47.00
NH Start Rate	$17.00	$19.50	$20.05	$20.61	$21.18	$21.78
PT Production	$20.50	$25.93	$26.50	$27.50	$28.50	$30.00

⚠ US cumulative inflation 2021–2026 = 20.60% (BLS.gov). Year 1 raises for full-time classifications range from 7.1% to 8.5% — short of inflation recovery alone. Evaluate the full 5-year picture. Contract expires December 20, 2030.

🏥

Sick Time — ESTA Replaces VR With 72 Paid Hours

GAIN

💡 What is ESTA? Michigan's Earned Sick Time Act — a state law requiring employers to provide paid sick time at your regular wage rate. It's not unpaid leave. It replaces the old VR (Restricted Vacation) system.

72 hrs

Front-loaded each January 1
(was 40 hrs VR)

Paid

At your regular wage rate
not unpaid leave

Exempt

ESTA absences don't count
as attendance points

Paid out

Unused ESTA hours paid
out annually

40 of the 72 hours can be used like VR — up to 5 occurrences per year to excuse attendance without prior approval. Minimum 1-hour increment (VR was 6 minutes). New hires wait 90 days. Important: ESTA hours used during your regular shift do NOT count toward the 40-hr overtime threshold — this differs from VR.

📋

Attendance — 12-Point Discharge Threshold (Down from 18 in Current Contract)

CONCERN

18 pts

Current 2021 CBA
discharge threshold

12 pts

TA v2 discharge threshold
(same as TA v1)

Exempt

ESTA absences
don't count as points

Point values: Tardy under 4 hrs = 1 pt | Tardy 4+ hrs or absent = 3 pts | Each additional day = 1 pt. Points stay on record 12 months. The ESTA exemption protects members who use their sick time — but a serious illness without enough ESTA hours still accumulates quickly at 3 pts/day. This threshold was the most cited reason for the 96% no vote on TA v1 and was not changed in TA v2.

🩺

Healthcare — Mixed: Some Better, Some Worse (Effective 1/1/2027)

MIXED

Legacy employees (hired before 5/24/2021) keep $0 weekly premiums. Plan design changes take effect January 1, 2027.

Item	Current 2021	TA v2 (from 1/1/27)
Weekly Premium	$0	$0	✓ Same
Deductible self/family	$1,000/$2,000	$1,500/$3,000	↑ Worse
Coinsurance	80/20	90/10	✓ Better
Out-of-pocket max	$3,400/$6,800	$3,075/$6,150	✓ Better
ER copay	$150	$225	↑ Worse
PCP / Specialist	$20 / $40	$20 / $40	✓ Same
Generic Rx	$15	$20	↑ Worse
Preferred Rx	$30	$30	✓ Same

📦 Other Changes

👟

Safety Shoe Voucher

GAIN

Now

$100/year

TA v2

$150/year

🛡

Life Insurance / AD&D

GAIN

Age-65 reduction eliminated. AD&D doubled to 1× base wage. Both effective 1/1/2026.

🦷

New Hire Dental & Vision

GAIN

36-month wait eliminated for employees hired after 5/24/2021. Eligible with medical (first of month after 60 days).

➕

Voluntary Benefits Added

GAIN

Group Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital insurance available as after-tax elections starting 1/1/2027.

⏳

New Hire Grow-In Extended

CONCERN

Employees hired after ratification grow into production rate after 48 months (was 24 months). Affects future hires only.

📆

Contract Duration

NOTE

Expires December 20, 2030. Locks in wages and terms through 2030 — evaluate whether the full 5-year schedule works for you.

📋 Key Things That Don't Change

📅

Saturday 2-of-3 RuleCompany can require Saturday work. After 2 consecutive Saturdays you may decline the 3rd — as long as no unexcused absence the prior week. ESTA absences cannot be used against you for this. Unchanged.

📝

Grievance Procedure (Art. 6)6-step grievance process, timelines, and arbitration rights unchanged. File within 7 working days of the violation (3 for discipline/discharge).

🔧

Discipline Rules (Art. 7)Corrective not punitive. 24-month lookback — management can't use infractions older than 2 years. 12-month clearing between infractions. Unchanged.

📊

Seniority & Layoff (Art. 8)Seniority rules, layoff order, recall rights, and severance ($1,500/month up to $40,000) all unchanged.

☀️

Sunday OT Always VoluntaryYou can always decline Sunday overtime. No change.

💰

Legacy Healthcare Premiums$0 weekly premiums for employees hired before 5/24/2021. Unchanged.

📊 What Members Need to Decide

Arguments For

$5,000 up front (for most members)
72 hours paid sick time — nearly double VR
Wages increase every year through 2030
ESTA absences exempt from attendance points
Healthcare premiums stay $0 for legacy employees
Life insurance and AD&D improved

Arguments Against

12-point attendance discharge unchanged from TA v1
Year 1 wages still below 20.6% inflation gap
Deductible increases $500/$1,000
ER copay up $75
ESTA doesn't count toward OT threshold during core hours
5-year lock-in — no renegotiation until 2030

This summary was prepared by a Local 699 member using the official TA v2 contract text. It is not an official UAW or Nexteer document. Always verify details with your committeeperson or union rep before making your decision. Use the full comparison → or read the full contract → for more detail.