[Marxism] UAW strike in the Midwest

[andrew pollack <acpollack2@xxxxxxxx>]

Strike cuts across "blue" and "red" lines... naturally!

November 4, 2004
UAW Workers Walk Out at Four CNH Plants
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 1:52 a.m. ET

RACINE, Wis. (AP) -- More than 600 workers at four CNH Global NV plants
in the Midwest walked off their jobs Wednesday over the failure to
negotiate a new six-year contract with the maker of farm and construction
equipment.

The strike shut down tractor production at the Racine manufacturing
operation and three other plants. The main impact was reported to be in
Racine and Burlington, Iowa, where backhoe loaders are made.

``They told us at 10 o'clock, and they walked out at noon,'' CNH
spokesman Jeff Walsh said. ``Production has stopped.''

Walsh declined to comment on plans for plant operations.

On strike were 350 workers in Racine; 225 in Burlington, Iowa; 32 in St.
Paul, Minn.; and 13 in Burr Ridge, Ill., said John Valko, president of
United Auto Workers Local 180.

A six-year contract for the workers expired May 2, and Local 180 members
have worked without a new contract since then, Valko said.

The company and the union had been negotiating since April but couldn't
agree. In May, workers held ratification votes but didn't approve what
CNH said would be its final offer.

Valko said the offer ``takes us back about 40 years worth of
concessions'' in health benefits and wages for new hires. He cited
increased health-care premiums and reduced services, saying prescription
drug coverage, for example, would go from 100 percent to 70 percent.

The company also wants to keep the wages of workers hired after May 1998
frozen until new hires catch up with them, he said.

Workers said they would be picketing around the clock in front of the
Racine factory.

Cal Rapson, a UAW vice president who directs the national union's
Agricultural Implement Department, issued a statement saying the job
action was needed to reach a fair labor agreement.

``The company's contract demands, particularly in the area of health
care, simply do not reflect the value our members contribute to CNH,'' he
said.

Jose Salgado of Racine has worked for the company for 30 years.

``It is dangerous,'' he said. ``We don't know. We didn't expect it to get
this far. ... The company is making all kinds of money, but it's not
willing to share.''

Italian carmaker Fiat SpA owns about 85 percent of CNH.

CNH, a Dutch company with U.S. headquarters in Lake Forest, Ill., is
Fiat's agricultural and construction equipment maker.

Last week, CNH reported net third-quarter income of $25 million and said
net sales of agricultural equipment had increased 14 percent compared
with the same quarter in 2003.

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