Teamsters Halt Talks as Corewell Ends Pull Pay, Loan Program

Stalemate in Corewell Health Talks: Teamsters Local 2024 Halts Negotiations

In Detroit, discussions between Teamsters Local 2024 and Corewell Health East hit an impasse today. The breakdown occurred as Corewell Health East stood firm on their decision to cut “pull pay” and cease a student loan repayment initiative, which sparked outrage among the Teamsters.

The “pull pay” policy, essential for more than 5,700 Teamsters nurses, ensures they receive a higher wage when reassigned to different units. Additionally, the discontinuation of the student loan repayment plan, which supported nurses pursuing further education with financial aid, has left many without expected financial relief.

“Corewell is taking hard-earned money out of Teamsters nurses’ pockets,” stated Mike Smith, lead negotiator for Local 2024. “Corewell is hiding behind buzzwords like ‘harmonizing’ which is just another way of imposing nonunion standards on nurses represented by Local 2024. This is illegal. While Corewell attacks nurses, the Teamsters will continue to fight back against their anti-union tactics and make sure that no nurse is left behind.”

Sarah Johnson, a Teamster at Corewell Health East, criticized the healthcare provider’s actions, asserting, “By cutting pull pay for over 5,700 nurses and refusing to restore student loan support, Corewell Health East is punishing the very caregivers who keep this system running. We demand Corewell rescind these changes immediately, because attacking nurses’ livelihoods is not only wrong, it threatens staffing stability and patient care.”

Since June 2025, Local 2024 has been in the process of negotiating a first contract on behalf of 10,000 nurses across the Corewell Health East system.

For further details about Teamsters Local 2024 and their efforts, visit local2024.org.