Workers at the Ford Plant on Chicago’s Southeast side started voting this morning on whether to go on strike.
The United Auto Workers Local 551 represents about 4,300 workers who make the Explorer and Lincoln MKS. Their contract with Ford doesn't expire until September 14th but UAW workers throughout the country will be taking a strike vote.
“We really don’t want to strike,” Chris Pena, 551’s president, said. “That’s the last resort but we also would like to see us gain something when every contract they have steadily taken from us.”
The union’s main issue is ending a two-tiered pay system where newer employees earn less than veteran workers for the same job.
Voting ends Wednesday evening.
