'The point of no return': Local UAW members continue to rally, display solidarity despite current stalemate

 

RACINE COUNTY, Wis. (CBS 58) -- It's been almost eight months since around 1,100 members of United Auto Workers (UAW) Locals 180 in Racine County and 807 in Burlington, Iowa, walked out of two CNH Industrial plants and went on strike to demand better wages, healthcare and safety. 

Since then, multiple rallies have been held with union workers from all over the region coming to support.

On Saturday, Dec. 17, hundreds came out to picket and stand together in Racine, despite the below freezing temperatures.

Many held signs, others chanted, and some even sang songs as they battled the cold.

"Sometimes you get so caught up in day-to-day activities that you really don’t know the type of impact that you are making until you do have a rally like this," said Yasin Mahdi, president of UAW Local 180. "It shows that the support is bigger than I thought."

A recent CNH Industrial statement provided to CBS 58 reads:

“We are disappointed that despite our best efforts we have been unable to reach a tentative agreement for our employees. Our last, best and final offer for our Racine, Wisconsin and Burlington, Iowa plants included significant wage increases, the addition of three new and different health care plans to choose from and many other enhanced benefits. Since April and throughout the UAW-initiated strike, we have been negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement that is fair and reasonable to our employees, our company and our customers."

But Mahdi, who has dedicated "a third of his life to this place," noted that it's not enough.

"We're at the point of no return, you know, being out almost eight months and when the company proposes that last best and final, I just can’t bring that to the membership, I just cannot so we [are] willing to go the distance," Mahdi said. 

Mahdi said unless workers are "compensated at least at what the non-union facilities are getting paid and what the area manufacturers around here are getting paid," it seems like no one is winning.

"They’re losing possibly customers and market share by not having product built in a timely manner and a quality product and ultimately, my people are losing, you know, who knows what," Mahdi said. 

And despite some days feeling like they are at a standstill, Mahdi said it's the betterment of the people he represents that keeps them going.

"Me accepting that best and final would not be leaving the membership in a better space than how I came into office and so it’s just unacceptable," Mahdi said.