MILWAUKEE — Red Cross workers in the AFSCME Local 1205 and 1558 announced Wednesday they ratified a new contract with the organization, and called off their planned strike. 

The workers have been negotiating with the Red Cross for 16 months, working for bonuses and wage increases. According to a press release from AFSCME Council 32, the new three-year contract — voted on late Tuesday — includes retroactive bonus payments for 2021, retroactive wage increases of 6% for 2022 and 3% for 2023, as well as access to United Steelworkers Health and Welfare Fund insurance benefits.

“From the beginning, all the workers wanted was for their hard work to be recognized by their bosses with a fair contract,” said AFSCME Council 32 Executive Director Patrick Wycoff in a press release. “To attain that, the workers had to take a stand. Make no mistake, the members’ courage to strike the holiday blood drive was critical to reaching this agreement.”

The workers planned to strike during the region's largest single-day blood drive, which is Dec. 23. 

The workers in AFSCME Local 1205 and 1558 unions have been trying to negotiate for the changes since Aug. 2021, and over several months, union leaders said management had canceled or rescheduled 21 meetings. They also said that management had attended just one meeting after the union filed a formal ULP charge. 

Then over the summer, a second charge had been filed, setting up regular meetings.

“The bargaining log-jam broke when the Red Cross agreed to our final proposals to increase the wage schedules by 6% and 3% over the next two years, just as our ratification meeting was starting,” said AFSCME Council 32 Staff Representative Neil Rainford in a press release. “Progressive, fully-funded wage schedules will allow the Red Cross to attract and retain badly-needed staff to collect and process blood for area hospitals.”

The ratified contract took effect immediately and expires on Dec. 31, 2024.