Sept. 28, 2021—A new four-year deal has been reached that will allow 600 Chicago mechanics from 35 dealerships to return to work, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Chicago mechanics returned to work Monday, ending an eight-week strike that began Aug. 1 after the previous labor contract expired and the union rejected a proposal from the New Car Dealer Committee, a bargaining arm of the Chicago Automobile Trade Association.
“The membership just narrowly passed the acceptance of the offer,” Ronnie Gonzalez, a spokesman for Automobile Mechanics’ Local 701 in Carol Stream, which represents about 6,000 active members, including the striking auto mechanics, told the publication. “The disappointment by those voting against the offer is as a result of being on strike for eight weeks while over 120 dealers not in the NCDC association ratified virtually the same deal without having to go out on strike.”
The strike began with more than 800 mechanics from 56 dealerships, with 21 dealerships agreeing to defector deals to return workers to their bays. At issue were such matters as base pay guarantee for mechanics and dealership contributions to the union’s health and welfare fund. Gonzalez said the agreement reached Sunday is “a very small variation” of the defector deal favored by the union.
