Naperville workers rest easily

Strikers at the Chrysler parts distribution center in Naperville on Wednesday celebrated the end of the roughly six-hour walkout.

Hugo Donado, president of UAW Local 1178, said the 15 or so strikers who had set up outside the center at 1980 High Grove Drive dispersed with little fanfare after a tentative agreement was announced late in the afternoon.

"Everyone just basically went home because we're reporting back to work tomorrow morning," Donado said.

Some of the 96 workers at the Naperville center will lose a half day's pay and others will lose a full day, Donado said. Customers who ordered parts from the center Wednesday may experience a short delay in delivery because of the strike.

Strikers said they were pleased by the amount of support they received from passing motorists, most of whom honked in apparent signs of encouragement.

"I made mention to a few of our members that we were getting some support from people driving by," Donado said. "But this isn't just a victory for the union on strike, it's a victory for blue-collar America really."

Union leadership had planned to staff the strike site with five members in six-hour shifts around the clock. But Donado was glad everyone was able to go home and get some sleep knowing they would wake up to a job today.

"I don't think anyone wins when you have strikes that last very long," he said. "This is a win-win for everyone."

Donado said many of the workers at the Naperville center have been with the company for years.

"This is more of a career than a job," Donado said. "These are high-paying blue-collar positions that allow them to have a secure future for themselves and their family."

During the short strike, workers fended off the chilly temperatures.

"I'm prepared, though," said Shawn Birden, a second shift steward who has worked at the facility for eight years. "I've got a coat in the car and a chair, but I do wish it was warmer."