Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and United Auto Workers Continue Talks After Labor Contract Expires

DETROIT, Sept. 1 -- (5:30 a.m.) -- Talks continued throughout the evening and are continuing this hour between Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the United Auto Workers, after the existing labor contract expired at 12:01 a.m. today, Sept. 1. Business operations go on as usual at the company.

A total of 2,984 bargaining-unit employees represented by four United Auto Workers across the state are employed by the company.

The company will continue to work to resolve all remaining issues in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation. Contingency plans are in place to reassign the company's 3,832 non-bargaining unit workers to process claims and make payments to medical providers in the event that issues are not resolved and a disruption in operations ensues.

Blue Care Network, which is the HMO affiliate of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, has a separate workforce and labor contract and is not part of the discussions underway.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.