UAW workers to vote on CNH offer 8 months after strike began

By JOSH FUNK
AP Business Writer

More than 1,000 striking CNH Industrial workers will soon vote on an offer from the maker of construction and agricultural equipment for the first time since they walked off the job eight months ago.

The United Auto Workers union said this week that it decided to put the company’s “upgraded last, best and final offer” to a vote, but the union didn’t offer any details of what is included in it.

Workers at the plants in Burlington, Iowa, and Racine, Wisconsin, rejected a three-year deal that included 18.5% raises at the start of the strike because of concerns that the proposed raises wouldn’t cover soaring inflation and health insurance costs. The UAW union hasn’t provided many updates on what CNH has offered since the strike began last May.

Workers on the picket line in Burlington told WQAD television Monday that they want to go back to work but only if they receive a fair contract. They expect to vote on this new deal Saturday.

Company officials didn’t immediately respond Tuesday to questions about their latest offer and the ongoing strike.

CNH Industrial, which is based in the United Kingdom, has more than 37,000 employees worldwide. In its most-recent earnings report, CNH reported a profit of $559 million in the third quarter. That’s up nearly 22% from the previous year’s $460 million net income as it increased the prices of its tractors, backhoes and other equipment.

The CNH strike is one of the longest ones over the past couple years as workers have increasingly demanded better pay and working conditions coming out of the pandemic. There have been a number of strikes, including a high profile monthlong strike involving 10,000 Deere & Co. workers, and several new unions have been established at Starbucks stores and Amazon warehouses although some locations have rejected unions. The Deere workers secured 10% raises and improved benefits after their strike.