Union workers at the Belvidere Chrysler plant are preparing to cast a vote, that could have a major impact on thousands of Chrysler employees across the country.
Belvidere's 36-hundred Chrysler UAW employees are expected to vote on a tentative contract deal with the auto-maker this Friday. Three more Chrysler plants voted against the deal over the weekend. A Chrysler executive says the company is in trouble if Belvidere votes it down too. The local UAW president, Tom Littlejohn says he will not encourage his members to vote for the tentative deal.
One of his big concerns is it does not fully hire on temporary workers. Belvidere has about six hundred people working for reduced pay and benefits, on a two-year temporary contract.
It also doesn't promise product replacement when vehicles are discontinued. There's been recent talk Belvidere's Jeep Compass might get the axe. Belivdere workers are unsure if the contract will go through there.
"There's some things in there that are OK and then there's things that are just wrong. The company for years has been taking away and taking away," says Belvidere Chrysler worker Deborah Barton.
All told, more than 11 thousand UAW workers have now voted against the tentative deal, to just over eight thousand in favor. A majority of the 45 thousand Chrysler union workers have to approve the contract for it to go in place. If it fails, the UAW and Chrysler will go back to bargaining.
Belvidere workers are back on the job Monday, after having the past two weeks off. The plant temporarily shut down because of supply and demand issues. Too many vehicles on the market, not enough buyers.