July 1, 2022
By Stephen Millies, retired member, American Train Dispatchers Association
Since May 2, 1,100 workers have been on strike against CNH Industrial in Racine, Wisconsin and Burlington, Iowa. These members of the United Auto Workers are up against Italy’s richest family, the Agnellis that control Fiat.
With sales last year of $31 billion, CNH had profits of $1.1 billion.But instead of genuine bargaining, the CEO of CNH, Scott Wine, has offered wage increases that are below the rate of inflation.
That’s demanding a wage cut from the UAW members while Wine pulls down a $9.2 million yearly salary. He also got a $22 million signing bonus.
The letters CNH stand for “Case” and “New Holland.” Both J.I. Case, based in Racine, and New Holland, which started out in New Holland, Pennsylvania, were some of the best-known makers of construction and farm equipment. Corporate wheeling-dealing―which at times included J.I. Case being owned by Tenneco and Ford buying New Holland―finally resulted in CNH Industrial being formed in 2012. With headquarters in Britain, the Agnelli-controlled outfit has 67 factories around the world.
All this financial skullduggery hasn’t been any good for workers. Case’s now closed lakefront plant in Racine used to employ more than 3,000 workers. Its current plant in Mount Pleasant, near Racine, employs around 500.
While the ownership has changed, being anti-labor is part of CNH’s DNA. J.I Case president Leon Clausen tried to break UAW local 180 in Racine during a 444-day strike that lasted from December 1945 until March, 1947.
Clausen said that “when these men have been out long enough and their families get hungry enough, the strike will end.” <https://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,793390,00.html>
Seventy-five years later, CNH CEO Wine has hired strikebreakers to steal the jobs of the women and men on the picket lines. <https://www.equipmentworld.com/workforce/pay-and-benefits/article/15293390/strike-continues-as-cnh-uaw-remain-at-odds>
But the strikers belonging to Local 807 in Burlington, Iowa and Local 180 in Racine, Wisconsin refuse to surrender despite having their medical and dental health insurance being cut off.
CNH is also fighting workers at its tractor plant in Basildon, Britain. The British union Unite has one-day strikes lasting until August to force the company to negotiate.
This writer remembers the president of writing a check to bail out strikers during the 1977 Racine teachers’ strike, That’s the solidarity that the CNH strikers need today.
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Both UAW Locals 180 and 807 are collecting nonperishable food and personal items for the strikers and their families. Checks can be made and gift cards can mailed (or dropped off) to the following addresses:
UAW Local 180 (Please write checks to “UAW Local 180“)
3323 Kearney Ave.
Racine, WI 53403
Call UAW Local 180 for picket line information and other ways to help: (262) 631-5980
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UAW Local 807
P.O. Box 1094
Burlington, Iowa 52601
(Please write checks to “UAW Local 807”)
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Victory to the workers!
Wisconsin Bail Out the People Movement 