MADISON, Wis.–A labor union representing approximately 450 workers at CUNA Mutual Group have voted in favor of going on strike if an agreement cannot be reached soon.
As CUToday.info has been reporting, Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 39 and CUNA Mutual have been attempting to reach an agreement for more than a year, and in recent months tensions have grown hotter. Members of OPEIU 39 have been working without a contract since February 2022.
CUNA Mutual, which has approximately 4,200 employees, has about 1,750 of its workers in the Madison area.
Would Be First in History
According to the Wisconsin State Journal.com, the company has negotiated with the union on contracts since 1946. If a strike were to occur, it would be the first in the company’s and union’s history.
A majority of the union’s membership voted last week to authorize the strike, OPEIU Local 39 spokesperson Andrew Sernatinger told the publication. He said 92% of the members who voted favored the strike. The authorization is valid for a month.
Joe Evica, the union’s chief steward, said roughly two-thirds of union members are information technology workers, as well as call center, graphic design and marketing employees, according to the State Journal. As CUToday.info reported here, Evica has been terminated by CUNA Mutual and a GoFundMe page launched to help him defray expenses.
Dispute Over Pension Plan
The strike authorization comes as CUNA Mutual Group brought in $5.2 billion in revenue in 2022 alone, according to a company report, and amid a rebranding to the name TruStage, the State Journal reported.
“Evica, who has been the union’s chief steward for two years, said the union has been asking CUNA Mutual Group to stop attempting to eliminate its pension plan for new employees, allow all bargaining unit members — even those who work remotely — access to affordable and quality health care and extend pay equity reviews to union employees,” the report stated.
The union also wants member salaries to keep up with inflation, and it accuses CUNA Mutual Group of outsourcing and hiring contractors to fill jobs that would otherwise be represented by the local, according to the State Journal, which said past contracts with OPEIU show union member salary ranges have gone up by 18% since 2010.
Awaiting Counterproposal
CUNA Mutual Group told the publication that “the company shared its most recent proposal with OPEIU Local 39 more than 60 days ago on February 16 and awaits a counterproposal.”
“CUNA Mutual Group remains steadfast in our commitment to reaching a Collective Bargaining Agreement with OPEIU Local 39,” the company said in a statement. “We respect the decision of our employees to authorize a strike, and we are determined to reach a fair and market-competitive agreement that meets the needs of our employees, our customers and company.”
CUNA Mutual told the State Journal it has "offered significant wage increases, protections for remote work, protections for job security, along with maintaining current health care and retirement benefits for current employees.”
Investigation Launched
As Cutoday.info also reported, in January, the union sent letters to the roughly 7,000 CU leaders stating CUNA Mutual Group was not bargaining a new labor contract in good faith, and warning of a potential disruption of financial services.
“In response, Evica said the company began investigating him for allegedly using internal company information to obtain email addresses for credit union leaders,” the State Journal said. “Evica said the union had purchased the list through a third-party marketing company. Two months later, Evica said CUNA Mutual Group suspended him. The company then allegedly hired a third-party company to conduct a forensic audit of his work laptop. He was later fired.”
According to CUNA Mutual, the investigation confirmed that Mr. Evica violated workplace rules regarding data privacy and information handling as stated in the labor agreement.
"We expect every employee, regardless of position, to abide by workplace rules, our Code of Conduct and policies,” the company said in a statement.
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