TOLEDO, Ohio — Regional support has continued to show out for UAW members in Toledo as they picket on day seven of the strike.
Members of UAW Local 900 from Wayne, Michigan, drove down I-75 in a fleet of Ford Broncos as a show of solidarity with UAW Local 12 in Toledo, which was one of the three unions initially called on to strike after contract negotiations failed to reach a deal.
Though they sell competing products, union leaders said all auto workers are fighting for common goals of better benefits, pay and more.
"The people here at Jeep are proud to build Jeeps," said David Green, the director of UAW Region 2B. "The people up there that build Broncos are proud to build Broncos. We respect their pride in their vehicle and I know they respect our pride in our vehicle."
Another round of Ford workers are expected to visit the Jeep plant picket lines around 8 p.m. Thursday.
Toledo City Council members also visited the picket line on Thursday to show the legislative body as a whole supports the strike.
Council member Cerssandra McPherson said her father worked for Jeep years ago and taught her about labor, unions and that "we always stick together."
Council President Matt Cherry said temporary workers face an especially bleak outlook if the Big Three don't meet UAW's contract demands.
"There's been a temporary worker here for seven years," Cherry said. "That means that person has no financial security when they retire because they missed seven years worth of paying into a 401K or a pension plan."
This seventh day of the strike is a vital one, too. UAW President Shawn Fain says if an agreement is not reached by noon on Friday more plants across the country will walk off the job.
"We want our members to make better wages so they can spend more money at the businesses in the community," Green said.
Workers on the picket line Thursday said they're holding firm to their request for a 40% pay increase to match the increase of pay at the corporate level since the 2008 auto crisis.
It's not that we're going to get a 40% raise right away," Green said. "But our members have been hit with inflation and they've been hit with the cost of living all across the country. They need to get a little bit of justice right now and then we do expect pay raises as we move forward."