TA 2026 v4 — Article-by-Article Changes

All Articles (29)

✅ Gains (10)

⚠ Concerns (2)

⚡ Mixed (2)

🔍 Verify (2)

📋 Unchanged (10)

Gains

Concerns

Mixed

Verify With Rep

✅ Gains & Improvements

💵

Article 23 — Ratification Bonus: $3,000

GAIN

2021 CBA

No bonus

TA v4

$3,000 upon ratification — all active seniority employees

Up from $2,500 in TA v3. Employees on leave receive payment when they return. Back pay from 3/21/2026 also paid at ratification on top of this bonus.

💰

Article 23 — Wages Backdated to 3/21/2026 — Same as TA v3

GAIN

All increases effective March 21, 2026 — members receive back pay to that date upon ratification. Cumulative US inflation 2021–2026 = 20.60% (BLS.gov). Wage numbers are identical to TA v3.

Classification	2021 Base	TA v4 (3/21/26)	Yr1 Raise	vs 20.6% Inflation	2027	2028	2029	2030
NH Start Rate	$17.00	$19.50	+14.7%	−5.9%	$20.09	$20.69	$21.31	$21.95
Production	$21.50	$24.00	+11.6%	−9.0%	$25.00	$25.50	$26.25	$27.00
TL Production	$22.00	$25.00	+13.6%	−7.0%	$26.00	$26.50	$27.25	$28.00
Specialized	$22.75	$25.25	+11.0%	−9.6%	$26.25	$26.75	$27.50	$28.25
TL Specialized	$23.25	$27.25	+17.2%	−3.4%	$28.25	$28.75	$29.50	$30.25
Semi-Skilled	$24.25	$26.75	+10.3%	−10.3%	$27.75	$28.25	$29.00	$29.75
TL Semi-Skilled	$24.75	$28.75	+16.2%	−4.4%	$29.75	$30.25	$31.00	$31.75
Trades	$38.00	$42.00	+10.5%	−10.1%	$43.25	$44.50	$45.50	$47.00
TL Trades	$38.50	$44.00	+14.3%	−6.3%	$45.25	$46.50	$47.50	$49.00
PT Production	$20.50	$27.00	+31.7%	+11.1%	$28.00	$28.50	$29.25	$30.00

Wage increases identical to TA v3. Back pay from 3/21/2026 paid as lump sum at ratification. Contract expires December 20, 2030.

📈

MOU 28 — Emergency COLA: Inflation Protection Added for First Time

NEW — GAIN

TA v1, v2, v3

No COLA — wages fixed regardless of inflation

TA v4

Emergency COLA effective April 1, 2028 — 2% adjustment if CPI-W exceeds 7.5% year-over-year

How it works: Starting April 1, 2028, if the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners (CPI-W, excluding medical) rises more than 7.5% year-over-year, all employees receive a 2% wage adjustment on top of the scheduled rate. Calculated annually for each year of the contract.

The honest context on the 7.5% threshold: In the last 15 years, US inflation has only exceeded 7.5% once — in 2022 (roughly 8.0%). Most years inflation runs 2–4%. Current inflation as of April 2026 is 3.8%. Under normal economic conditions this COLA rarely if ever pays out — it's genuine protection against a crisis scenario like 2022, not a regular annual raise.

Important limitations: Does NOT compound into your base wage rate. Does NOT roll forward year to year. Your wage resets to the negotiated table rate each April 1 before any COLA is applied. Maximum 2% per year even if inflation is 15%.

Bottom line: Better than nothing — the three previous proposals had zero inflation protection. But the high threshold means most years you won't see it. Think of it as a safety net for another 2022-level crisis, not a regular cost-of-living adjustment.

Annual US Inflation — Does It Clear the 7.5% COLA Threshold?

2015

0.1%

2016

1.3%

2017

2.1%

2018

2.4%

2019

1.8%

2020

1.2%

2021

4.7%

2022

8.0% ✓

2023

4.1%

2024

2.7%

2025

2.7%

2026*

3.8%

Green = below 7.5% threshold (no COLA). Yellow = elevated but below threshold. Red = exceeds threshold — COLA would pay. *2026 figure as of April 2026 (BLS.gov). COLA not eligible until April 2028.

💹

MOU 29 — Profit Sharing Program: Up to $2,000/Year Based on Saginaw Site Performance

NEW — GAIN

TA v1, v2, v3

No profit sharing program

TA v4

Up to $2,000/year based on Saginaw site Operating Income

Base Payout

$1,000

When site OI hits the annual threshold

Enhanced Payout

$2,000

When site OI exceeds threshold by 10%+

Tied to Saginaw site specifically — not global Nexteer performance. The company will share audited financial results used to calculate eligibility. Paid out annually by May 31.

Important catch: You must submit at least 2 "Ideas in Motion" improvement suggestions during the fiscal year to qualify. Suggestions don't need to be accepted or implemented — just submitted. If you don't submit 2 suggestions, you get $0 regardless of how well the site performs. This is a real condition that members need to be aware of.

The OI threshold will be communicated to the union annually by April. The threshold itself is not written into the contract — meaning what "good enough performance" looks like is set by the company each year. That's a limitation worth noting.

Prorated based on months worked during the fiscal year.

🏥

Articles 11, 16 & 24 — ESTA 72 Hours + VR System (6-Minute Increments)

GAIN — SAME AS v3

💡 What is ESTA? Michigan's Earned Sick Time Act — state law requiring paid sick time at your regular wage rate. Not unpaid leave. 72 hours front-loaded each January. 40 of those hours follow old VR rules — 6-minute increments, no prior approval, up to 5 uses/year.

2021 CBA

40 hrs VR — 6-min increments, 5 uses/year

TA v4

72 hrs ESTA + 40 hrs as VR (6-min increments, 5 uses/year, no prior approval)

ESTA absences explicitly exempt from attendance points. Unused ESTA paid out annually. New hires wait 90 days. Unchanged from TA v3.

📅

Article 11 — ESTA Can't Cost You the Right to Decline 3rd Saturday

GAIN — SAME AS v3

2021 CBA

Any unexcused absence prior week could strip Saturday decline right

TA v4

ESTA absences explicitly cannot be coded unexcused for the 2-of-3 rule

🏆

Article 24D — Perfect Attendance: 16 Hours Per 6-Month Period (32 hrs/year)

GAIN — SAME AS v3

2021 CBA

8 hrs per 6-month period (16 hrs/year max)

TA v4

16 hrs per 6-month period (32 hrs/year max) — doubled

Award periods: September 1–February 28 and March 1–August 31. Choose 16 hours additional vacation or 16 hours straight pay. Pay is the default. Unchanged from TA v3.

🛡

Article 17 — Life Insurance: Age-65 Reduction Eliminated, AD&D Doubled

GAIN

2021 CBA

Life reduced at 65 | AD&D = 50% base wage

TA v4

Age-65 reduction eliminated | AD&D = 1× base wage

👟

Article 12 — Safety Shoe Voucher: $100 → $150/Year

GAIN

2021 CBA

$100/year

TA v4

$150/year

🦷

Article 17 — New Hire Dental & Vision: 36-Month Wait Eliminated

GAIN

2021 CBA

36-month wait for post-5/24/21 hires

TA v4

Eligible with medical — first of month after 60 days

📅

Article 16 Sec. 8 — Deferred Holidays Confirmed

CONFIRMED

Work a designated holiday + Group Leader pre-approval = bank hours as a paid flex day. Non-Christmas hours paid out January if unused. Christmas hours can carry over. Don't count toward OT threshold. Explicitly in TA v4.

⏱

MOU 13 — Overtime Reimbursement Voucher Confirmed

CONFIRMED

OT rights violated = makeup voucher at date of your choosing. Saturday OT vouchers excuse a future mandatory Saturday within 90 days. Explicitly in TA v4.

➕

Article 17 — Voluntary Benefits (Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital)

GAIN

2021 CBA

Not available

TA v4

Group Critical Illness, Accident, Hospital — voluntary after-tax, starting 1/1/2027

⚠ Concerns

📋

Article 24 — Attendance: 12-Point Discharge Threshold Unchanged for Fourth Time

CONCERN

💡 ESTA absences are explicitly exempt from attendance points. Using your 72 ESTA hours (including VR-style 6-min increments for first 40 hrs) does NOT count against you.

Item	2021 CBA	2026 TA v4
Tardy (less than 4 hrs)	1 point	1 point
Tardy (4 hrs or more)	3 points	3 points
Absent	3 points	3 points
Discharge threshold	18 points	12 points ↓
Points on record	12 months	12 months
ESTA absences	Not addressed	Explicitly exempt

Members rejected TA v1 (~96%), TA v2 (~73%), and TA v3 (~55%). The attendance threshold has never moved in four consecutive proposals. The ESTA + VR protection (72 hrs, 6-min increments, exempt from points) provides meaningful coverage — but the threshold itself remains lower than the 2021 CBA.

⏳

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

CONCERN

2021 CBA

Standard grow-in timeline

TA v4

Employees hired after ratification grow into production rate after 48 months

Current NH employees keep 24-month grow-in. Only affects future hires post-ratification.

⚡ Mixed

🏥

Article 17 — Healthcare: Legacy $0 Premiums Unchanged, Non-Legacy Pays Weekly

MIXED

Two different plans depending on hire date. Plan design changes effective 1/1/2027.

Legacy Employees — Hired Before 5/24/2021

Item	2021 CBA	TA v4 (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

Non-Legacy Employees — Hired After 5/24/2021

Non-legacy employees pay weekly premiums starting 1/1/2027, subject to 3% annual increases each year after that.

Coverage Tier	Weekly Cost (2027)	Note
Self Only	$20.00/week	~$1,040/year
Self + Child(ren)	$25.00/week	~$1,300/year
Self + Spouse	$30.00/week	~$1,560/year
Self + Family	$35.00/week	~$1,820/year

Non-legacy plan design is actually better in some ways: Deductible $1,000/$2,000 (lower than legacy), OOPM $3,400/$6,800, Generic Rx $15, Preferred Rx $30. The tradeoff is paying the weekly premium. Premiums increase 3% annually starting 1/1/2027 — so $20/week becomes ~$20.60 in 2028, ~$21.22 in 2029, etc.

🏖

Article 16 — Vacation: 15+ Years Still Top Bracket at 160 Hrs

UNCHANGED

Seniority	2021 CBA	TA v4
Less than 1 year	40 hrs (prorated)	72 hrs (ESTA)
1–3 years	80 hrs	80 hrs
3–5 years	100 hrs	100 hrs
5–10 years	120 hrs	120 hrs
10–15 years	140 hrs	140 hrs
15+ years	160 hrs	160 hrs

🔍 Verify With Your Rep

💹

Profit Sharing OI ThresholdThe Operating Income threshold that triggers profit sharing is set by the company annually and communicated to the union by April. The contract doesn't specify a dollar amount — verify with your rep what the target will be for the first year.

💡

Ideas in Motion Suggestions (Profit Sharing Qualifier)You must submit 2 Ideas in Motion suggestions per year to qualify for profit sharing. Verify with your rep how to properly submit through the official tracking system so you don't lose your eligibility on a technicality.

📋 Unchanged from 2021 CBA

📅

Saturday 2-of-3 Rule (Art. 11)After 2 consecutive Saturdays you may decline the 3rd — no unexcused absence the prior week. ESTA absences cannot be used against you. Unchanged.

🚫

Sunday OT Always Voluntary + Double Time (Art. 11)Sunday overtime is never mandatory. Sunday hours over 40 in the work week = double time. Unchanged.

📝

Grievance Procedure (Art. 6)6-step process, timelines, committeeperson access. File within 7 working days (3 for discipline/discharge). Unchanged.

🔧

Discipline (Art. 7)Corrective not punitive. 24-month lookback. 12-month clearing between infractions. Unchanged.

📊

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

🚫

No Strike / No Lockout (Art. 18)Union agrees not to strike; company agrees not to lock out. Authorized strikes require International UAW sanction. Unchanged.

💰

Legacy Healthcare Premiums (Art. 17)$0 weekly premiums for employees hired before 5/24/2021. Unchanged.

⏰

Relief Time (Art. 27)6 minutes per hour worked, 30-minute lunch. Continuous operations: 46 minutes total. Unchanged.

🎓

Tuition Assistance (Art. 30)Reimbursement or up-front payment for approved fields of study. Unchanged.