During a rally on Friday near the company's headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan, Sen.Bernie sanders praised the striking workers for their courage to take on corporate greed.
During the Pandemic, you were the people who helped feed America. People who work 50 days in a row, 60 days in a row are being looked at. I talked to a person who worked 120 days in a row and they were not even eight hours. There are 12-hours days and 16-hours days. That is insane!
The strike began on October 5, with 1,400 workers from four cities demanding better working conditions and a revised pay structure, according to the Detroit News.
The union will vote on a tentative five-year agreement that would include cost 0f-living adjustments and a $1.10 per hour raise for all employees, according to the Detroit News. The union's vote to reject the 3% raise prompted the company to replace striking workers with new hires.
Politicians on both sides of the aisle criticized the decision of the company to not negotiate with its workers. At the Michigan rally, President Joe Biden called the workers the "backbone of America."
Biden said in a letter to the striking workers that their right to bargain collectively is an essential tool that protects their livelihoods, contributes to their company's success, and ensures the economy works for working people. "My message to you is to keep faith and solidarity."
At least 25 companies had workers initiate strikes this fall, marking a season of labor unrest and worker activism that rejuvenated the country's labor movement. Some of the companies where employees have gone on strike include Nabisco, John Deere, and McDonald's.
