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"I was proud to walk the picket line with striking (UAW Region 9) workers from Mack Trucks in Macungie today," he said. "As long as these workers walk the picket line, I will have their backs."
Mack Truck employees represented by the UAW in Pennsylvania, Florida, and Maryland began striking Monday morning after nearly three-quarters of them voted against signing a tentative agreement with the company, according to both parties.
The rejected collective bargaining agreement was reached just minutes before the original contract deadline on Oct. 1 and would have covered 3,900 employees at facilities in all three states.
Mack management has said the agreement included a 20-percent wage increase over five years and a guarantee not to increase health insurance premiums for the duration of the contract.
UAW leaders say members rejected the offer over lingering disagreements on "wage increases, cost of living allowances, job security, (...) health and safety, seniority, pension, 401(k), healthcare and prescription drug coverage, and overtime.”
“I’m inspired to see UAW members at Mack Trucks holding out for a better deal, and ready to stand up and walk off the job to win it,” said UAW President Shawn Fain. “The members have the final say, and it’s their solidarity and organization that will win a fair contract at Mack.”
Mack President Stephen Roy has called the strike "unnecessary."
“We are surprised and disappointed that the UAW has chosen to strike," he said in a statement.
"We clearly demonstrated our commitment to good faith bargaining by arriving at a tentative agreement that was endorsed by both the International UAW and the UAW Mack Truck Council."
“We are committed to the collective bargaining process, and remain confident that we will be able to arrive at an agreement that delivers competitive wages and benefits for our employees and their families, while safeguarding our future as a competitive company and stable long-term employer."
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