Woodward MPC workers to vote on strike amid stalled negotiations

Potential Strike Looms as Woodward MPC Workers Plan Authorization Vote

A possible strike could disrupt operations at Woodward MPC in Niles, Illinois, as over 800 employees prepare to vote on authorizing such action. The decision comes amid allegations that the company has persistently avoided engaging in contract negotiations, a situation that could affect the defense and aerospace sectors in the Chicagoland region.

UAW President Shawn Fain addressed the situation, stating, “I’ve got a message for the company: Woodward, the clock is running out. We will be holding a strike authorization vote. Woodward has a choice to make: This company can either negotiate a fair contract for the workers who make this place run. Or the workers will shut shit down, with the full backing of the UAW International Union.”

Highlighting the financial discrepancies, UAW Region 4 Director Brandon Campbell remarked, “We’ve got a company that has been given billions in taxpayer dollars through federal contracts and state subsidies, while the workers who pay the taxes can’t get a damn raise. Is that justice? Hell no. What we are asking for at Woodward is really simple. When you make billions off of your workers, pay them what they’re worth. Let them have basic time off. Make the progression fair, and get back to the negotiating table.”

Jose Tapia, a Woodward employee and President of UAW Local 5101, expressed dissatisfaction with the company's compensation offer, stating, “Woodward is offering our members a thirteen cent raise at a time when the company is making record profits. That is what they offered, and then they refused to bargain. So, before this company decided to break the law and walk away from the table altogether, they told us what they think of us. Because they think they can offer us nothing. Break the law. And we’ll take it. We are here to show them exactly how wrong they are.”

Since affiliating with the UAW last fall, Woodward employees have encountered over three dozen reported unfair labor practices, including complete refusal by the company to negotiate. The workers' demands include competitive wages, fair job progression, adequate time off, and job security.

Woodward MPC, which has generated over $1.7 billion in profits since 2020 and compensated its CEO over $30 million, is under scrutiny as its workers, represented by UAW Local 5101, strive to secure better working conditions while facing economic challenges.