Legislators support UAW Local 291 strike at Cummins

OSHKOSH, WI—(WISS)— Thirty-four state legislators from the Senate and the House have signed a letter of support for the striking workers at Cummins in Oshkosh.

Representative Lori Palmeri (D-Oshkosh) and Senator Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (D-Appleton) spearheaded the effort to show support for UAW Local 291. They circulated the letter throughout the Democratic Caucus in the legislature to collect the signatures. 

The union has been striking at Cummins since March of this year, after working without a contract since January. In April, a rally was held to support the workers as the strike continued.

Now, it’s June. The union has been on strike for 3 months.

The sticking points for UAW Local 291 are the lack of a contract, temporary worker language that has been included in the negotiations, and required Saturday shifts.

Quote from the letter dated 6/17/25:

“We are writing to you in the midst of the strike by United Auto Workers Local 291 at your facility in Oshkosh, to express our support for their ongoing efforts to negotiate a new contract with your company. Specifically, we are advocating for the workers’ concerns when it comes to working on an expired contract, temporary worker language within the contract, and mandatory Saturdays.
“As legislators, it is our duty to stand up for our constituents and support them in their endeavors for fair and just working conditions. Many of us were proud to join Local 291 at their strike line these past few months, helping in their fight for these ideals. We strongly encourage Cummins to meet with UAW 291 sooner, rather than later.”

Wisconsin Legislators

Cummins, a global company specializing in designing and producing diesel fuel engines and generators, is headquartered in Michigan, has 3,700 service locations, 600 distributor branches, and over 75,000 employees worldwide.

The plant in Oshkosh makes drivetrains and braking systems.