OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — After more than three months on the picket line, workers at the Cummins plant Oshkosh have voted to end their strike and approve the latest contract on Friday, June 27. The workers will return to work on July 7.
Local UAW 291 president, Ryan Compton, says the union voted to pass the contract 53 to 26. It's the third time the union has called a vote since beginning the strike.
“We got a few things we wanted, there was a few things that we absolutely did not want that are still in there," Compton says.
Compton says the sticking points were the attendance policy, wages and temp workers.
“It's a little bit of a relief that it’s over," he says. "I wish Cummins would have come to the table a lot sooner, this never would have had to happen.”
In a statement sent to NBC26 by Melinda Koski, director of external communications, Cummins says:
"We are pleased UAW Local 291 has accepted our proposal. We believe the agreed upon offer represents a fair and balanced package for all parties involved. Throughout negotiations, we remained committed to negotiating in good faith with the union to reach a resolution as quickly as possible. We’re pleased to have agreed upon a mutually acceptable agreement that enables the workforce to return to the plant and ensures we can continue to meet the needs of our employees, customers, and stakeholders."
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The union's months-long strike wasn't without community support.
"The number one priority should be the people of our community," Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (D- WI) says.
Sen. Dassler-Alfheim was among 34 legislators who signed a letter in support of the union on June 17.
“Without those great employees around the state, then a company doesn’t have the great product that they want to be successful with," she says.
Compton says overall, the union is glad the ordeal is over.
“I'm proud of all the members of the Local 291," he says. "I'm going to claim this strike as a victory. It’s never a complete victory, but I think we got them to move on some things that they really didn’t want to move on.”
