Tonawanda, N.Y. (WBEN) - United Auto Workers Local 774 held a solidarity rally at their Tonawanda headquarters Wednesday to stand with the thousands of UAW union members currently on strike nationally, fighting for fair pay and benefits.
Many local union members and leaders, both UAW and non-UAW, were in attendance, ready to take a stand if Local 774, comprised of about 800 workers were to be called Friday morning to walk-off the job at the Tonawanda General Motors engine plant.
"We're out here to show our support to the International Union and the three plants that are on strike at Ford, Stellantis and General Motors. They're out there fighting for the American dream," said Mike Grimmer, shop chairman for UAW Local 774.
"We care about our jobs. We work hard every day, and we want this place to be successful. We just want to get our fair share. We're asking for things that we all had almost 20 years ago, and they want to villainize all of us, just because we want that piece of the American dream we had, well no more. We are all one. We want everybody to make the same money, same benefits, and we need to stand together."
"They're making $22 billion a year, the CEO has had a 34% increase in her salary over the last four years," added Jimmy Lakeman, UAW Region 9 representative, in reference to General Motors CEO Mary Barra. "While we've had a 6% increase. The time is now, we're standing together. You can see by this crowd, every union affiliated with the [Western New York Labor Federation] AFL-CIO, and then some politicians, we're all standing up for the same thing. It's about equity. It's about this community, the United Auto Workers and the American taxpayers, put GM on the map. They put money in their pocket, and we're getting screwed, and it's time for that to end right now."
In addition to the unions around Western New York, our local and state politicians also came to show their support, like New York State Senator Tim Kennedy.
"My friends and colleagues in government, from the county executive to my colleagues in the state legislature, to the City of Buffalo and representatives of towns and villages, all across Erie County are here today. We're going to stand with you, UAW, until we win this fight, and it's a fight that matters. It matters to each and every one of us. It matters to the working families that are out on the line from the UAW, and it matters to those that are standing with them, because it starts with the UAW today. If we left those corporate mongers, those greedy monsters at the top win this fight, guess what? They're coming for the next working families and the next union and we're not gonna let that happen, are we? We're gonna stand with the UAW workers," said the senator.
UAW Local 774 is in place to strike, according to their president, Teddy Maldonado. They have their equipment and their schedules in place should they get a call this Friday morning, which is when the International union is expected to ramp up the amount of plants going on strike.
"We're ready to go if we get drawn," said Maldonado.