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New development in UAW Local 904’s continued strike against HCC · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: New development in UAW Local nine hundred and fours continued
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  strike against HCC. Written by Matthias Warner, this article is
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  being read by an automated voice brought to you by Everlett.
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  As the strike of United Auto Workers Local Union nine
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  hundred and four enters its third week in Mendota, HCC Inc.
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  Took a step towards replacing the striking workforce. Wednesday morning,
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  HCC Inc. Released a statement on the ongoing strike and
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  their intentions to continue with the company's operations. HCC believes
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  the union's decision to remain on strike is shortsighted, the
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  statement read. However, despite that decision, HCC is committed to
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  continuing operations and has begun the process of recruiting and
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  hiring permanent replacement employees consistent with the company's rights during
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  an economic strike, and has contracted additional labor to ensure minimal,
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  if any impact on our customers and vendors. Local president
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  Jeff Marine said that this development has not changed the
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  resolve of the union leaders and its membership. Our demands
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  are still the same. Marine said, UAW nine hundred and
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  four was unsatisfied with the proposed pay and benefits package
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  for the next four year agreement between the union and
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  the agricultural equipment manufacturer, leading to the beginning of the
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  strike on Wednesday May thirteenth. One week into the strike,
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  representatives from the two sides met on Wednesday May twentieth
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  to try to come to an agreement, but HCC Inc
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  stood behind its final offer made prior to the beginning
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  of the strike. We put forth a proposal that we
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  felt would open the door to further negotiations. Marine said,
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  when you're negotiating, you want to have back and forth dialogue.
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  The company's response was Nope, not interested. HCC said in
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  its statement that they will continue to stick by their
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  final offer to the union, reiterating that the offer represents
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  the strongest wage and benefits package in the history of
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  HCC UAW negotiations, including a ten percent wage increase in
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  twenty twenty six. Marine said that the two sides have
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  been in communication roughly once a week, but no plan
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  is in place for the next meeting between the growing
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  UAW Bargaining Committee and the hr Department of HCC Inc.
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  Striking workers have remained outside the HCC complex on First
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  Avenue since the strike began with inclement weather in the area,
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  causing the only hiatus during that time. It's getting warmer,
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  so it's been hot here during the day and you
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  get tired. But you've got to be out here standing
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  up for yourselves and the rest of the people that
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  you work with. You have got to stand together. Marine
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  thanked the support of the Mendota and Illinois Valley community
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  for helping to provide resources to the workers as the
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  strike continues. The community here has been very supportive, Marine said.
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  People have donated water, food supplies, monetary donations. I mean,
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  the help has just come all over from the small businesses,
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  large businesses in town, out of town, just people driving by.
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  Marine said that once the strike is over, the union
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  leadership will formally acknowledge and recognize those who helped. It's
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  just been an outpouring of support, and we really do
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  want to thank everyone in the community and beyond who
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  has stopped to give us that show of support that
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  he said, it's been a little overwhelming. Sometimes workers have food, water, shelter, resources,
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  and resolve. As the strike against HCC enters its third week,