TA v1 vs TA v2 — What Changed After the 96% No Vote

All Changes (10)

✅ Improved in v2 (5)

⚠ Same or Worse (2)

⚡ Minor Changes (3)

Improved in v2

Same or Worse

Minor Changes

Unchanged shown here

💡 How to read this page: Green = TA v2 is better than TA v1. Red = same or worse in v2. Yellow = minor wording/structural change. If something isn't on this page, it's identical in both proposals.

✅ Improved in TA v2

💵

Article 23 — $3,000 Grievance Settlement Check Added (Wasn't in TA v1)

NEW IN v2

TA v1

$2,000 ratification bonus only

TA v2

$2,000 ratification bonus + $3,000 grievance settlement check

The $3,000 grievance settlement check is paid to all non-New Hire, non-Skilled Trades employees — approximately 1,161 eligible employees. Both payments upon ratification. This was not in TA v1 at all. Combined payout for eligible members: $5,000.

🏥

Articles 11 & 16 — ESTA Hours: 40 → 72 Front-Loaded Each January

IMPROVED

TA v1

40 hours ESTA front-loaded each January 1

TA v2

72 hours ESTA front-loaded each January 1

32 additional hours of paid sick time per year. The annual use cap also increases to 72 hours. This was one of the most specific complaints about TA v1 — 40 hours wasn't enough to cover a serious illness without burning vacation. TA v2 addresses that directly.

💰

Article 23 — Wages: Slightly Higher Across Most Classifications

IMPROVED

Classification	2021 Base	TA v1 (2026)	TA v2 (2026)	Difference
NH Start Rate	$17.00	$19.05	$19.50	+$0.45
Production	$21.50	$22.50	$22.93	+$0.43
TL Production	$22.00	$23.00	$23.93	+$0.93
Specialized	$22.75	$24.25	$24.68	+$0.43
TL Specialized	$23.25	$24.75	$25.68	+$0.93
Semi-Skilled	$24.25	$25.75	$26.18	+$0.43
TL Semi-Skilled	$24.75	$26.25	$27.18	+$0.93
Trades	$38.00	$41.75	$42.00	+$0.25
TL Trades	$38.50	$42.25	$43.00	+$0.75
PT Production	$20.50	$25.25	$25.93	+$0.68

Year 1 rates are modestly higher across the board — $0.25 to $0.93/hr more than TA v1. Team Leader classifications received the largest bump. Whether these increases are enough is a separate question — see the TA2 vs 2021 CBA page for the inflation benchmark comparison. Years 2–5 wage schedules are also slightly different from TA v1.

🏥

Article 17 — Specialist Copay: $50 → $40 (Reverted to 2021 CBA Rate)

IMPROVED

TA v1

Specialist visit: $50 copay

TA v2

Specialist visit: $40 copay — same as 2021 CBA

TA v1 raised the specialist copay $10 above the current contract. TA v2 reverts it back to $40 — no change from what members have now.

💊

Article 17 — Preferred Brand Rx: $35 → $30 (Reverted to 2021 CBA Rate)

IMPROVED

TA v1

Preferred brand Rx: $35 copay

TA v2

Preferred brand Rx: $30 copay — same as 2021 CBA

TA v1 raised preferred brand prescriptions $5 above the current rate. TA v2 reverts this to $30 — no change from what members pay now.

⚠ Same or Worse in TA v2

📋

Article 24 — Attendance: 12-Point Discharge Threshold UNCHANGED from TA v1

UNCHANGED — CONCERN

2021 CBA (current)

18 points = discharge

TA v1

12 points = discharge

TA v2

12 points = discharge — NO CHANGE from TA v1

This was arguably the single most hated item in TA v1 — reducing the discharge threshold from 18 to 12 points. Members voted 96% no. The bargaining committee brought back TA v2 with this provision completely unchanged. The 72-hour ESTA exemption helps protect members, but the threshold itself was not moved. This is the biggest thing the union did NOT change after the no vote.

⏳

Article 23 — New Hire Grow-In: 24 Months → 48 Months for Future Hires

WORSE IN v2

TA v1

New hires grow into production rate after 24 months

TA v2

Employees hired AFTER ratification grow in after 48 months (4 years)

TA v2 doubled the grow-in period for future new hires from 24 to 48 months. Current NH employees keep 24 months — this only affects people hired after ratification. This is a concession to the company that wasn't in TA v1. It doesn't affect anyone currently employed but signals the direction for future hiring.

⚡ Minor Changes Between v1 and v2

🏖

Article 16 — 20+ Year Vacation Bracket Proposed in v1 Was Removed in v2

REMOVED

TA v1

Proposed new 20+ year bracket at 180 hrs

TA v2

15+ years = 160 hrs remains the top bracket — 20+ tier removed

TA v1 proposed creating a new top vacation tier for employees with 20+ years at 180 hours. That proposal does not appear in TA v2. Long-tenured members who might have benefited from this should take note.

🏥

Article 17 — Healthcare Out-of-Pocket Max Slightly Different

MINOR CHANGE

Item	TA v1	TA v2
OOPM self/family (Plan 1 EPO)	$2,750/$5,500	$3,075/$6,150
Specialist copay	$50	$40
Preferred Rx	$35	$30
All other copays/premiums	Identical

The out-of-pocket maximum is slightly higher in TA v2 vs v1 ($3,075/$6,150 vs $2,750/$5,500) — meaning you could pay a bit more in a catastrophic year. But the specialist and preferred Rx copays improved. Both versions are still better than the current 2021 CBA OOPM of $3,400/$6,800.

🚫

Article 18 — No Strike: "(including Plant 14)" Removed from Section 1

MINOR CHANGE

TA v1 / 2021 CBA

"...nor will any employee take part in a strike at the Saginaw Site (including Plant 14) only."

TA v2

"...nor will any employee take part in a strike at the Saginaw Site only."

The parenthetical "(including Plant 14)" was removed. Plant 14 appears to no longer be relevant — likely a facility that has since closed or been consolidated. This is a housekeeping change with no practical impact on member rights.

📊 The Bottom Line: What Did They Change?

After a 96.2% no vote, the bargaining committee came back with a second proposal. Here's an honest summary of what moved:

They added money: A $3,000 grievance settlement check was added on top of the $2,000 ratification bonus. Wages across all classifications went up modestly ($0.25–$0.93/hr more than TA v1). ESTA hours nearly doubled from 40 to 72. Two healthcare copays were reverted to current contract rates.

They did not address the attendance threshold: The 12-point discharge threshold — widely cited as the reason for the no vote — is unchanged. Going from 18 to 12 points remains in TA v2.

They made one thing worse: The new hire grow-in period doubled from 24 to 48 months for anyone hired after ratification.

They removed a proposed gain: The 20+ year vacation bracket (180 hrs) that was in TA v1 does not appear in TA v2.