Jordan Wipf, a Professional Engineer II for the Nebraska Department of Transportation joined our union in June. Jordan said that he knew it was time for him to become a union member and stand in solidarity with his fellow State of Nebraska employees to help negotiate the best contract possible this year.
“I got a few emails about our union’s upcoming contract negotiations and thought it was a great time for me to throw in,” he said. “Dues are a drop in the bucket for me to support the cause and it felt like a responsibility for me to chip in.”
Jordan worked for the state from 2018-2021, but during his break in service, he still kept an eye on the progress our union was making and the wins we were celebrating.
“I was still working for the county when the remote work executive order came down and I thought it was ridiculous. I think a lot of us are more than capable of doing our jobs remotely and I’m excited to see what kind of negotiated language we can win,” he said. “I also know that we’re going to negotiate for higher pay. We got that huge win two years ago, and even though I wasn’t at the state when that happened, it was a big win and a huge jump that I think ultimately helps with recruitment and retention.”
Jordan remarked that the State of Nebraska is a great place to work, and we should all work together to retain quality employees.
“It’s beneficial to all of us to reach out to our peers that are covered by the bargaining unit but aren’t active in it,” he said. “It’s not a big expense, and the more of us that chip in, the more we’re going to succeed. A rising tide lifts all ships.”