Striking workers at two CNH Industrial plants in Wisconsin and Iowa have signed a new labor contract. The strike, which began on May 2, 2022, and affected 1,100 employees, ended after the company offered increased wages, shift premium increases, and classification upgrades.
In a recent statement, UAW President Ray Curry said, “UAW members at Locals 180 and 807 did the hard work to strengthen the hand of negotiators. This agreement reflects the effort of a determined bargaining team and members being on an almost nine-month strike.”
Tracey Chew, CNH Industrial worker and UAW bargaining team member, told WQAD News 8 that many workers voted in favor of the contract after CNH Industrial threatened to hire permanent replacement workers. Chew said, "I think the key words that I heard, and a lot of members heard were permanent replacement workers. And that put a fear in our workers because that hasn't been an option that we've discussed in the past. We always knew that it was there. But it just became a reality the company hadn't utilized prior to this."
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, not everyone is happy with the agreement. Rich Glowacki, chairman of the bargaining committee for UAW Local 180, is quoted in an article saying, “Once again, CNH has displayed how little their employees matter to them. Their compensation package was deficient to the local (Racine) area labor market. And they once again, they have not shown us to be the true corporate citizen that they allege to be in public.”