Photo: Bill Pugliano / Getty Images News / Getty Images
The auto workers strike grew larger on Monday after thousands of employees at Mack Trucks plants walked off the job. The workers rejected a five-year deal that included a 19% pay raise, with 73% of the 4,000 workers voting against it.
"The members have spoken, and as the highest authority in our union, they have the final word. Accordingly, the UAW will go on strike as of 7:00 a.m. on Monday morning, October 9, 2023," United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain said in a statement. "Employees working at the time will exit their facilities in an orderly manner after performing tasks necessary to prevent damage to the Company's equipment or product."
Mack Trucks President Stephen Roy said he was "surprised and disappointed" that workers rejected his company's offer and opted to strike instead.
"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," Roy said.
The UAW launched the first-ever simultaneous strike against the "Big Three" U.S. automakers, General Motors, Ford and Stellantis on September 15. Currently, about 25,000 of the 146,000 union workers are on strike as negotiations between the two sides continue.