NEWTON, Iowa — Yet another worker strike is looming as the contracts between United Auto Workers and the Big Three automakers are set to expire Thursday night.
Here in Iowa, a local sector of the UAW union is battling in a fight of their own.
Members of UAW Local 997 in Newton continue to strike against their employer. Since Aug. 1, dozens of Thombert employees have been striking for better wages, lower health care costs and immediate accident and sickness leave.
Wednesday marked the 44th day on the picket line for union members.
"We're out here because we want to go back to work," said Jason Wickman, who serves as the Recording Secretary for Local 997. "We just need a fair contract to do so.”
Thombert is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of polyurethane wheels and tires for narrow aisle lift trucks, but workers claim that their wages and health care benefits don’t match up with the company’s success.
“We’re not asking for anything outrageous," Wickman said. "We want to maintain a cost of living increase that keeps our heads above water with inflation."
While the efforts in Newton aren’t connected to the potential UAW strike in Detroit, workers believe their mission is the same.
“We rely on the company, for our wages, our benefits, but they rely on us also for our labor. And the strike simply is a leverage tool, to make them take us seriously," Wickman added.
Local 997 says they have met with the company several times since the strike began, but workers on the picket lines say a lack of urgency from the company has kept them on the picket line longer.
Union members are set to meet back at the negotiation table with Thombert on Tuesday, Sept. 19.