Union Workers Rally for Solidarity, Prepare for Contract Negotiations

Mt. Morris, Illinois- "What do we want? Fair contracts! When do we want it? Now!" chant dozens of union members Wednesday afternoon. Members of the local teamsters unions rallied outside Quebecors Mt. Morris plant. They kicked off contracted negotiations with the paper printing company. Union officials will walk into the room with negotiators from Quebecor Thursday morning. And they expect a war. "All around the country the company is asking for the same concessions," says Scott Arbogast, a member of the Local Pressmans Union. "Insurance, manning, wages. Across the board they just want to make more profit." Union officials, on the other hand, will be asking for the bare minimum. They will ask to stay the same. "We are just so tired of losing," says Arbogast. "Every contract, now, this is my fifth contract. I`ve been here 23 years and every contract we have given concessions." "How deep do your pockets go?" asks Greg Newcomer, a member of the Local Pressmans Union. "They take your money here, and you`re taxed. Gas prices and such. It hurts a person." Local company officials were not available for comment. Calls to the corporate offices were not returned. Union officials believe contract negotiations with Quebecor could last around a year and a half. That is the same amount of time it took them to come to an agreement during the last round of negotiations five years ago.