Negotiations Update - September 21, 2026
Dear USE members:
Your USE negotiating team met with members of AFA management’s committee on Monday, September 21st at 11:00am ET.
We want you to know that we are making every effort to negotiate a pay raise that reflects our worth.
Our contract expires at midnight on September 30, 2026. As we continue towards this deadline, we may need to call for a strike vote.
***THIS DOES NOT MEAN WE ARE GOING ON STRIKE. If the majority of USE members vote in favor of a strike, it gives your USE Negotiating Committee permission to call a strike at some future date. A strike vote is a powerful way to show the USE membership is unified in support of the negotiating committee as we work to achieve the contract our members deserve.***
Our next scheduled Negotiations Session is on Thursday, September 24th at 9:00am.
Thank you for all of your support and words of encouragement! Please wear your USE pin and show solidarity with your Negotiating Team! If you need a USE pin, please respond to this email and we will make sure one gets to you!
Also, your new USE t-shirts should begin to arrive in the mail. We’re calling Tuesdays “T-USE-DAYS,” so please wear your USE t-shirts during work hours so membership and management can see.
Your Negotiating Team stands in solidarity with you!
Paula Mastrangelo
Suzanne Balzer
Megan Havern
John Perry
Theresa O’Donnal (economist/costing)
