Workers with aerospace manufacturer Woodward MPC joined a practice picket outside its Niles facility on Tuesday, as they urged the company to negotiate a new labor contract.
The rally came after 71% of UAW Local 5101 members voted last week to authorize a strike. The union said Woodward has stalled contract negotiations for months and committed dozens of unfair labor practices, including disciplining workers and surveillance.
Nearly 100 workers in red UAW Local 5101 T-shirts rallied in 90 degree heat holding signs that read, “Just practicing for a just contract.”
Local 5101 has about 850 members, who are production workers at Woodward’s Niles location. The factory makes commercial and military aviation equipment for clients that include Boeing and the U.S. government.
Workers are fighting for better wages, fair progression, time off and job security. Union leaders said Woodward workers are underpaid compared to industry peers.
At Tuesday’s rally, Local 5101 President Jose Tapia said, “We make some of the most profitable products in the world on massive contracts for the U.S. government, Boeing and others. We generate millions in profits for our CEO and billions in Wall Street payouts. But we have workers at Woodward who can’t afford to live. They sleep in their cars. They commute two hours a day to work. They haven’t had a raise in years.”
Tapia, a mechanical assembler with Woodward for 20 years, said the union’s last negotiating session with the company was in October. Woodward offered raises of less than 1%.
Andre Woods works in Woodward’s sensors department and is vice president of Local 5101. He said workers at the Niles facility are paid about $16 to $27 an hour, although the aerospace industry’s average wage is closer to $28 to $43 an hour.
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss was among elected officials at the rally. Woodward workers “deserve the right to negotiate in good faith and for a fair contract,” Biss said. “Corporations are trying to silence workers. It’s moving and powerful when workers organize and fight back.”
In September, Woodward workers voted to affiliate with the United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America.
The workers were previously part of an independent union called WMPC Employees Representative Union, founded in 1967. At that time, MPC Products was a smaller, family-owned company. In 2008, it was bought by Woodward, a publicly-listed company based in Colorado.
Woodward has not recognized the new union.
A Woodward spokesperson said in a statement: “A case is pending before the National Labor Relations Board regarding union representation for our Niles workforce. We are requesting a government-run election to ensure that every employee’s voice is heard. Until this matter is resolved, negotiations will remain paused. At this time, no strike has been called. Niles operations will continue as usual, and we remain focused on delivering critical controls to our aerospace customers without interruption.”
In the second quarter, Woodward reported $1.1 billion in sales and $134 million in earnings.
“A few years ago, I was inspired by the major victories I saw the UAW having at the Big Three and at aerospace employers across the country and decided to try to make my union better,” Tapia said. “All we’re asking is for Woodward to stop breaking the law, and return to the bargaining table. We’ve been forced to file dozens of federal labor charges, for everything from illegal surveillance to unfair discipline to refusing to bargain in good faith. We are just asking to be treated like aerospace workers at employers across the country. We want fair wages for our industry, we want to be able to get a raise, we want to be able to afford to live a decent life with our families.”
