After months of negotiations, approximately 525 UAW members have walked out on strike at Eaton Aerospace, an aerospace factory in Jackson, Michigan, that produces hydraulics equipment for civil, commercial and military aircraft.
The strike came after the workers’ extended contract expired on September 5.
Most Read on Manufacturing.net:
“We are fighting for our future and our community,” UAW Local 475 President Donnie Huffman said. “Every worker should have the right to be able to spend time with our grandkids. When your CEO is making more than $20 million, it’s pretty galling when they cry poverty at the negotiating table.”
The Fortune 500 company has continued to push for a two-tier retirement system that would end the pension plan and 401(k) for all new hires by the end of the contract.
In addition to fighting to protect their right to retire, workers are also calling for their next contract to provide quality health care, include wages that reflect workers’ contributions to the company’s growing profits and establish fair processes for scheduling and promotions.
According to the UAW, over the last decade, Eaton Aerospace has had a revenue of over $208 billion and a net income of $22 billion. In 2023, the company reportedly had a net income of $3.2 billion, an increase of 31% from the year prior. Eaton also paid its CEO $20.5 million in 2023, an increase of 46%.
The Eaton strike comes about a year after the Big Three strike that resulted in autoworkers winning contracts from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis. Last year, UAW members also won contracts at Cornell University in New York and Daimler Truck in North Carolina.
Eaton has not responded to a request for comment by the time of this article’s publication.
Click here to subscribe to our daily newsletter featuring breaking manufacturing industry news.