Contract talks continue between Eaton, union

Contract negotiations have restarted between Eaton Corporation-Cobham Mission Systems and union officials for the Davenport plant.

Talks were held all day Tuesday, March 1, and were scheduled to start again at 9 a.m.  Wednesday, March 2, according to John Herrig, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace (IAM) District 6 union business representative.

“There’s really nothing to report at this time. It’s still a moving target,” Mr. Herrig told the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal before 9 a.m. Wednesday.

Eaton-Cobham officials did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

More than 400 workers from IAM Local 388 and IAM Local 1191, based in Moline, are on strike after rejecting a proposed three-year contract. The strike against Eaton-Cobham, located at 2734 Hickory Grove Road, Davenport, began at 12:01 a.m. Feb. 18.

A Feb. 17 union news release said IAM members “voted almost unanimously to strike after management made a contract offer with substandard wages, reduced health care benefits and decreased 401(K) retirement matching contributions.”

Eaton Corporation acquired the former Cobham Mission Systems last year. The company manufactures air-to-air refueling systems, environment systems and actuation, primarily for defense markets, according to its website. Eaton-Cobham Mission Systems has about 950 employees in the Quad Cities. Not all of those employees are in the union.

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