TRENTON, Mich. (WXYZ) — Exactly one week from the strike deadline Stellantis UAW workers rallied at the Trenton Engine Plant Thursday.
Rally speeches by U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, and UAW International Vice President Rich Boyer touched on pay, and pensions, but focused largely on keeping the Trenton plant open and ensuring that they receive product.
Speaking to the crowd UAW VP, Rich Boyer said, "We can talk about pensions, we can talk about benefits, but if you don’t have a product, none of it matters."
Last summer Stellantis decommissioned an engine line at the plant.
"At least two to three years now, they have been saying that this plant is going to close - go down to one shift, move product somewhere else," Caesar Seay told us.
Seay has worked in assembly at the Trenton plant for 7 years.
He, like many UAW members Thursday, said he's worried about his job going away entirely.
The rally comes as Stellantis has said they will issue a counteroffer to the UAW's economic demands by the end of this week.
When asked if he has high hopes for the offer Seay said, "No, not from what I hear from GM and Ford Motors."
In the past week, both Ford and GM have made contract offers of a 9% and 10% wage hike - both much less than the 46% wage hike being sought by the union.
A hike that Seay, who has multiple kids and grandchildren relying on him, says is needed.
"As far as what the companies are making in profit records, I believe it’s fair that they should share some of that with us," said Seay.
Union leaders have been outspoken about their disappointment in how close to the strike deadline counteroffers from the Big Three are coming.
If an agreement isn't reached within a week, the UAW has said that 97% of its members are in favor of striking.
If a strike occurs the Big Three could lose billions and 146,000 union workers like Seay could be set back substantially, but still, they fight on.
As ralliers chanted "We are the mighty mighty union" Thursday, Seay told us, "The union makes the difference because companies would just walk all over us."
