UAW Workers Strike at El Paso's Penske Logistics over Bargaining Dispute

The Unfair Labor Practice Strike at Penske Logistics

Local 286 members, working at Penske Logistics, initiated an unfair labor practice strike due to the company’s unwillingness to negotiate a fair first contract. The strike involves over 40 clerical unit workers at the El Paso, TX facility, who have been striving for a fair contract for over a year now.

The union members are fighting for equitable pay, genuine paid time off, and improved benefits, especially affordable health care. As Juan Amparan, a Pensake employee puts it, “Clerical workers at Penske deserve a fair contract and the ability to provide for our families.”

Currently, the expensive health insurance premiums coupled with a $6,000 yearly deductible leaves half of the workforce without any health coverage. Most employees, who earn around $18 per hour, find the weekly $180 health insurance premiums unaffordable. The workers are now advocating for a minimum wage increase to $20 per hour and are calling for the resumption of negotiations to reach an agreeable settlement.

UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith criticized Penske’s attitude, stating, “Penske’s refusal to negotiate a deal with fair pay and benefits for its workers is unacceptable. It’s high time that Penske starts negotiating earnestly and in good faith.”

The Penske Logistics workers join a growing list of UAW members demanding their fair share of the significant profits they help generate. This comes after last year’s six-week strike by UAW autoworkers at the Big Three automakers, which resulted in record contracts.