TOLEDO, Ohio — Phil Reiter is a factory worker at the Toledo Jeep plant and has been on the picket line for the UAW strikes against the Big Three. He wants to send a message to the automakers.
"It's about the future, it's about my kids and my grandkids," Reiter said. "It's about the working class around the country. Time's up. It's time for the working class to make strides to having a middle class; that seems to have disappeared in this country."
Reiter is a regular at the Jeep-themed bar Wheelin' on the Rocks in west Toledo. Crissy Antoine, the founder of the bar, called Reiter shortly after the strike started and began planning a Jeep convoy to show support to those on the picket line.
Though Antoine doesn't work for Stellantis, she used to be a UAW member.
"Once you're a union brother or sister you're always a union brother or sister, so you have to show that support," she said.
Reiter appreciates the support because the longer they're off the job, the harder it might get for the workers. He said if this strike lasts long, it could affect small businesses like Wheelin' on the Rocks since strikers are living on less and may be less likely to spend money. But Antoine believes showing support is just good for business.
"It's basic economics," she said. "If they have a pay increase, they have more time off, they have more time to spend money here at Wheelin' on the Rocks and other small communities and other small businesses here."
They aren't organizing a convoy, either. They are also having a food drive to help those on the picket line.
"The more the strike looms on, the less that $500 a week goes if you've got family and kids to feed, daycare, mortgage and car payments. So, very little bit helps," Reiter said.
If you want to support whether you have a Jeep or not, the convoy will leave Wheelin' on the Rocks at 5 p.m. Thursday.