UAW tentative agreement with Ford gives striking GM, Stellantis workers in Illinois hope

NAPERVILLE, Ill. (WLS) -- UAW workers at GM and Stellantis facilities in Illinois, like the Stellantis parts distribution center, have been on strike for five weeks now and are ready for a deal of their own.

They said they may still be fighting but the tentative agreement with Ford gives them some hope.

"Who wants to be the last one out there on the island by themselves, go right ahead. So if I'm Stellantis, I'm jumping aboard saying hey let's do this now," said Trey Durant, striking UAW member.

READ MORE: Chicago union members confident tentative UAW-Ford deal will pass

Durant and his fellow UAW members in Naperville said they're cautiously optimistic after the news about the Ford deal.

"I think the consensus for all my brothers and sisters from Ford General Motors and Chrysler/Stellantis, that the 25 percent was a win," Durant said.

And after weeks on the picket line, Durant said his fellow striking workers are ready for a win too.

"It's been a struggle. It's a struggle for our families, it's a struggle for our finances but the word solidarity means a lot to labor unions," he said.

Key takeaways from the Ford agreement are a 25% pay increase over the course of the contract and improved benefits, like cost-of-living allowance and annual bonuses to retirees. Labor expert Robert Bruno said this could spell the beginning of the end of the UAW strikes.

"If it is ratified by the rank and file, it will certainly set a target for the other two companies, General Motors and Stellantis, to meet," Bruno said. "And they will have to meet it in order to end strikes at their facility. So this gets us closer to the finish line for sure."

UAW workers striking the GM facility in Bolingbrook like Richard Bray are also optimistic.

"It's positive that the tentative agreement has been reached with Ford and we're hopeful General Motors follow suit," he said.

But, like those in Naperville, they said they're not stopping without gains that matter.

"We're out here fighting the corporate greed. Our companies are still having record profits and we're ready for a record contract," said Bray.

These workers said they're fighting for more than just a raise; they're fighting for the middle class and said they'll be on the picket line for as long as it takes.