TOLEDO, Ohio — United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain did not call on additional plants Friday to join the national strike against the Big Three automakers, citing progress in contract negotiations.
Members at the Toledo Jeep Assembly Complex in north Toledo have been on the picket line since day 1.
Alfonzo Moore, a team leader at the facility, said Fain should have called on more plants to join the stand-up strike. If more locations joined the picket lines, it would help the union get better offers from the Detroit automakers.
"20-something days out here, it's time to put some pressure on them," Moore said. "They would definitely be coming to a closer agreement if more plants shut down. Everything would be moving a lot faster."
Other workers WTOL 11 spoke to felt differently.
Krystal Baker has worked at the Jeep plant for a little over ten years and agrees with Fain's decision. Fain instead announced a "stand up rally" in Chicago, where workers went on strike last week.
"I understand him not calling people to stand up if there isn't a reason for them to do it, we're not doing this for fun," Baker said. "His strategy is working because we are moving somewhat forward."
Baker, along with many others at the Toledo picket line, said contract offers by the automakers still aren't enough.
Stellantis put forth a new contract offer to UAW and also sent its workers a letter with the items they wanted to offer. It had a list of benefits including wage increases for new and current employees and cost-of-living adjustments, but workers said it's still not enough.
"The wage increase needs to go up still," Moore said. "It has to be in the 30-40% at least."
James Rice was disappointed that the offer did not mention UAW's demands for temporary workers like himself and wishes the agreement included a way for temporary workers to become full-time sooner.
"They don't care about us still. We're not getting through to them," he said.
Rice said he is prepared to stay on the picket lines until a sufficient offer is proposed.
"We're going to be here a little longer," he said. "We're not going anywhere anytime soon, that's what I'm thinking."