By Kate Reynolds
Yesterday (9-22), Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) joined the striking United Auto Workers (UAW) at
Stellantis’ Chrysler Parts Distribution Center in Naperville. Her visit came after the facility’s workers walked out at noon, part of a nationwide united effort to secure better pay and benefits for auto workers.
Duckworth strongly supports the UAW during their ongoing strike against General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis. She also is a co-sponsor of the bipartisan ‘Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act of 2023. The act proposes to protect workers’ right to bargain for higher wages, better benefits, and safer workplaces.
“I’m proud to join Illinoisans on the picket lines today as they fight for working families across the nation and demand a fair, living wage for autoworkers,” said Duckworth. “These hardworking Americans sacrificed to keep the auto industry afloat when things were tough, and they deserve their fair share now that the industry is reporting record profits and already-wealthy executives are earning more than ever. Every American deserves to work in a safe, good-paying job that allows them to support their families and save for a secure retirement. I’ll continue to be in solidarity with United Auto Workers nationwide as they work toward an agreement.”
Richard Louis Trumka (July 24, 1949 – August 5, 2021) was an American attorney and organized labor leader. He served as president of the United Mine Workers from 1982 to 1995. Then, he was secretary-general of the AFL-CIO from 1995 to 2009.