In any negotiations, the goal is to reach a mutual agreement as simply as possible, preferably at the bargaining table. The SU bargaining team is committed to bargaining an agreement that works for all SU and has been since negotiations began in December 2020.
Under state law, a strike can only happen after several stages of negotiations. First, negotiators reach an impasse. This means that both sides have moved as far as they can toward a compromise and cannot reach a tentative agreement. SU would next go to mediation. Mediation is not binding on either party and if an agreement is not reached through mediation, then the next step is arbitration. If no agreement is reached, then the State can impose its “last, best final offer.” After all of this, it is up to the membership to decide if SU were to strike by taking a strike authorization vote.
