After 8 Months of Burlington Strike, UAW Workers Vote on Possible Agreement

More than 400 manufacturing workers who have been striking since May 2 will get the chance to vote on a possible contract for the first time this weekend.

United Auto Workers (UAW) released a statement Monday saying they had finally received an offer from Case New Holland International (CNHi) that negotiators considered acceptable enough to present to workers.

That tentative agreement, or TA, will now be presented for potential ratification to over 1,000 workers at CNHi plants in Burlington as well as Racine, Wisconsin, who jointly went on strike May 2, 2022.

“The UAW Bargaining Committee has decided to bring this offer to the members of Locals 180 and 807 for a vote,” the statement read, noting details of when that would take place was up to the two local unions.

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In Burlington, Local 807 union president Nick Guernsey told Starting Line his 440-some striking workers would receive and vote on the contract on the same day, this Saturday. He said the TA—the first workers have seen since the strike began—was the result of “talks between the company over the last couple weeks.”

“It’s an improved ‘last, best and final,'” Guernsey said, using the phrase CNHi has previously used when presenting its latest offer to the union.

He said he was working on getting the TA printed this week to get copies to all of his members by Saturday, but did not want to divulge what all it included.

One CNHi striking worker, who wanted to remain anonymous in discussing details of the contract ahead of the vote, said they had heard “bits” of what the TA included, but were unsure of whether it was enough to satisfy members.

“It sounds like CNH actually did budge and move on some issues for the first time, but it’s still lacking in some key areas,” the worker said.

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Workers went on strike for better wages, retirement benefits and working conditions. For months, CNHi refused to negotiate with the UAW, prompting the union to ask US Labor Secretary Marty Walsh to intervene.

CNHi, owned by a wealthy Italian family whose CEO makes $100 million per year, isn’t lacking the money to pay workers fairly. In its last financial report on Nov. 8, CNHi reported consolidated revenues up 24% and net income of $559 million over last year.

by Amie Rivers
1/3/23

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