DAVENPORT, Iowa — A spokesperson with Eaton Corporation said the major Quad Cities employer and members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) have ratified a five-year contract after more than a month of striking.
An Eaton spokesperson said Tuesday the company and union workers ratified a five-year contract but didn't specify any further on what is in it. They did release the following statement on behalf of the company:
"We are pleased to have reached a mutually satisfactory agreement and look forward to having the employees who were on strike return to work to continue serving our customers and our community."
IAM spokesperson DeLane Adams confirmed Tuesday the accepted deal between Locals 388, 1191 and Eaton:
"A strike has ended for more than 400 Machinists Union Local 388 and Local 1191 (District 6) members who work at Eaton Mission Systems Division of Davenport. The new contract improved wages and other items that will positively affect our members, their families and the community.
We are proud of our members for standing strong and fighting for a contract to improve their lives. Our members build world-class products at Eaton Mission Systems. They look forward to getting back to work beginning tomorrow. We want to thank the Quad Cities community for their commitment and support during this process."
As of March 22, the union did not release any additional details about the new contract or how many members voted to ratify the deal. IAM previously said 97% of members voted against the second contract offer on March 4, and 98% voted to go on strike on Feb. 17.
Tuesday marked 33 days since more than 350 workers walked off the job.
Earlier this month, Eaton announced it would begin hiring workers to permanently fill union workers' jobs. The company stated the duties of IAM workers are highly technical and require months of training, something union members have also attested to.
Since then, Eaton has repeatedly stated 50 union members crossed the picket line and returned to work. That number has been denied numerous times by multiple union members, who say the real number is less than 10.
Last week, union members said the deal that the company wants would ramp up out-of-pocket costs for a variety of health care needs, including a $1,000 deductible for an emergency room visit. IAM workers told News 8 that the same visit under the old plan would only cost $50.
However, IAM officials did not confirm or respond to a request for comment on those numbers.