DETROIT – The United Automobile Workers Mack Truck members went on strike at 11:59 p.m. Saturday for better pay, benefits and job protections.
According to the union, 3,600 Mack Truck workers in three states -- Florida, Maryland and Pennsylvania -- are on strike.
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In a statement sent Sunday, the union cited unresolved issues by Mack Truck including wage increases, job security, wage progression, skilled trades, shift premiums, holiday schedules, work schedules, health and safety, seniority, pensions, retirement accounts, health care and prescription drug coverage, overtime, subcontracting and temporary and supplemental workers.
Mack Truck has plants in Allentown, Pennsylvania; Middletown, Pennsylvania; Hagerstown, Maryland; Baltimore, Maryland; and Jacksonville, Florida.
Local Unions Striking include: Local 677 Allentown, Pennsylvania; Local 677 Middletown, Pennsylvania; Local 171 Hagerstown, Maryland; Local 1247 Hagerstown, Maryland; Local 2301 Baltimore, Maryland and Local 2420 Jacksonville, Florida.
Read the full statement on the UAW Mack Truck members strike here:
“UAW members get up every day and put in long, hard hours of work from designing to building Mack trucks,” said Ray Curry, Secretary-Treasurer of the UAW and Director of the Heavy Truck Department. “UAW members carry on their shoulders the profits of Mack and they are simply asking for dignity, fair pay and job protections.”
Unresolved issues by Mack Truck include: wage increases, job security, COLA, wage progression, skilled trades, shift premium, holiday schedules, work schedules, health and safety, seniority, pension, 401(k), healthcare and prescription drug coverage, overtime, subcontracting, and temporary/supplemental workers.
“Based on our strong past relationship with the Mack Truck group, we are confident that further discussion of these, and other open issues, will result in progress toward the goal of a contract that works for both the Company and its UAW members,” said Curry. “But the fact remains, that our members are united in standing together to strike until Mack agrees to resolve these significant issues.”
“The last four years we have helped Mack Truck make significant profit through our work,” said Doug Irvine, President of Local 2301 and President of the Mack Truck Council. “All we are asking is that the company treat us with the dignity and respect we deserve in making them successful.”
The announcement of the UAW Mack Truck members strike was made on day 28 of the union's strike against General Motors. There has been no response on the latest counterproposal the union sent to GM. This is not the first time a counterproposal has been offered.
The counterproposal sent a strong signal that a tentative agreement between the union and automaker is close and could happen any day.
On Saturday, the union announced striking GM workers will get an additional $25 a week and can now work part-time during the strike.
The UAW International Executive Board voted Saturday to increase strike pay to $275, effective Sunday. The strike pay was set to increase Jan. 1, 2020.