LANSING (WKZO) -- Five major unions are expected to announce today that they will join forces to bargain as one against the concessions being asked for by Governor Snyder's administration.  Altogether the unions, which include UAW Local 6000 and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 25, represent about 36-thousand of the state's 50-thousand employees.

Under the change the unions will bargain jointly on economic issues, but will maintain separate contracts and bargaining power for non-economic issues.  Sources say the unions hope to exercise more clout by bargaining as one unit.