WORKERS at Mack Trucks in the United States have voted against accepting a proposed five-year contract agreement reached with the company and were set to begin strike action from early today morning, according to their union, United Auto Workers.

Union president Shawn Fain said in a letter to the firm’s parent company Volvo Trucks that a huge 73 per cent of workers voted against the deal in results tallied on Sunday.

The union represents about 4,000 Mack workers in Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida and had negotiated a tentative agreement on the deal on October 1.

The deal included a 19 per cent pay raise over the life of the contract, with 10 per cent payable on ratification of the agreement. 

There also was a $3,500 (£2,865) ratification bonus, no increase in weekly healthcare contributions and improvements for retired members.

Mr Fain said in his letter to Volvo Trucks’ head of labour relations that employees working early on Monday will exit the factories after performing tasks needed to prevent damage to company equipment.

The union president wrote that union members and workers across the country are seeking their fair share in wages and benefits. 

“The union remains committed to exploring all options for reaching an agreement, but we clearly are not there yet.”

The company and union are still apart on work schedules, health and safety, pensions, healthcare, prescription drug coverage, overtime and other issues, he wrote.

Mack Trucks president Stephen Roy said in a statement on Sunday night that the company was “surprised and disappointed” that the union had chosen to strike. 

But, he added, the company is committed to collective bargaining and is confident both sides would reach a deal that delivers competitive wages and benefits while safeguarding the company’s future. 

This dispute is separate to the strike union members have been waging for three weeks with the “Big Three” US car makers, which saw union members strike at selected factories run by General Motors, Ford and Jeep maker Stellantis on September 15. 

It started with one assembly plant for each company, then spread to 38 GM and Stellantis parts warehouses. Two additional assembly plants at Ford and General Motors were added later.

On Friday, the union decided not to expand the strikes to any more plants for the time being after General Motors agreed to bring its electric vehicle battery factories into the union’s national contract, assuring that they will be unionised. 

The UAW reported that it was making good progress with all three car makers.