The Emeralds at Grand Rapids Bargaining Update 10/20/2026

Negotiations Overview

The Union and the Employer met four times to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. The non-economic portion of negotiations progressed fairly smoothly. This included contract language that does not create an additional cost, such as adding earned sick and safe time (ESST) to the agreement.

Wages and the Workforce Standards Board

Negotiations reached a major roadblock when the parties began discussing economic issues. The Employer does not want to incorporate the Workforce Standards Board (WFSB) minimum wage increases into the contract. The Employer cited lawsuits filed by long-term care facilities seeking to abolish the WFSB, explaining that a successful challenge could repeal the minimum wage requirements and other WFSB provisions.

The Union proposed increasing starting wages to the WFSB minimum wage levels and adding adjustments to address wage equalization and compression. The Employer responded that it did not want to add costs to the collective bargaining agreement and was not comfortable negotiating the 2027 minimum wage increases before those amounts are known. Instead, the Employer offered a 0.5% increase to the 2025 wage scale. Under that proposal, employees currently earning above the minimum wage would receive a 0.5% increase, while employees earning the minimum wage would remain at that rate.

Contract Extension and Next Steps

The Union Bargaining Committee decided to extend the contract through January 2027, giving the Employer more time to understand the WFSB minimum wage requirements and their effect on the budget. The contract will remain in effect until either party provides 14 days’ notice to terminate the extension. The committee believes it is important to enter those negotiations with the leverage to bargain a complete contract rather than only reopen wages.

Thank you for standing with your bargaining committee and supporting its efforts to secure a fair contract.