JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Members of the United Auto Workers at the Volvo parts distribution center on Jacksonville’s Westside were on the picket line Tuesday. They walked out Monday amid ongoing contract negotiations with Volvo subsidy Mack Trucks.
Workers in Pennsylvania and Maryland are also part of the strike, which came after the UAW rejected a tentative five-year collective bargaining agreement for about 4,000 workers.
Cassandra Williams, who is president of the UAW Local 2420 in Jacksonville, said everyone who works in the Westside warehouse is union.
“We reported to work six o’clock yesterday morning, on Monday, and we walked out at 7a.m.,” she said.
In a statement, Mack Trucks said they had reached a tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers, offering a 20% raise over five years and a guarantee of no increases to health insurance premiums during that time.
“We are surprised and disappointed that the UAW has chosen to strike, which we feel is unnecessary,” said Mack president Stephen Roy. “We clearly demonstrated our commitment to good faith bargaining by arriving at a tentative agreement that was endorsed by both the International UAW and the UAW Mack Truck Council.”
Williams said she voted in favor of the tentative agreement after spending five weeks negotiating in Allentown, Pa.
“We was hopeful to bring back something that the membership would accept, but the membership spoke,” she said.
She also said she stands by the union’s vote.
“I stick with them,” she said. “I am union proud.”
Disagreements between the company and the union remain on work schedules, health and safety, pensions, health care, overtime and more.
The Jacksonville distribution center is one of three Mack Truck locations striking. Although there are just 27 UAW members working at the Jacksonville location, there are thousands of others also on picket lines in Pennsylvania and Maryland.
“It’s a great feeling because the union stands for solidarity,” Williams said.
She told News4JAX that she and her colleagues will continue striking for their demands as long as it takes.
“We are committed to the collective bargaining process, and remain confident that we will be able to arrive at an agreement that delivers competitive wages and benefits for our employees and their families while safeguarding our future as a competitive company and stable long-term employer,” Roy said. “We look forward to returning to negotiations as soon as possible.”
The UAW members in Jacksonville are planning on picketing in shifts this week, with a big turnout expected Friday afternoon.