As the strike of United Auto Workers Local Union 904 enters its third week in Mendota, HCC Inc. took a step towards replacing the striking workforce.

Wednesday morning, HCC Inc. released a statement on the ongoing strike and their intentions to continue with the company’s operations.

“HCC believes the union’s decision to remain on strike is short-sighted,” the statement read. “However, despite that decision, HCC is committed to continuing operations and has begun the process of recruiting and hiring permanent replacement employees, consistent with the Company’s rights during an economic strike, and has contracted additional labor to ensure minimal, if any, impact on our customers and vendors.”

Local president Geoff Morine said that this development has not changed the resolve of the union leaders and its membership.

“Our demands are still the same,” Morine said.

UAW 904 was unsatisfied with the proposed pay and benefits package for the next four-year agreement between the union and the agricultural equipment manufacturer, leading to the beginning of the strike on Wednesday, May 13.

One week into the strike, representatives from the two sides met on Wednesday, May 20, to try to come to an agreement, but HCC Inc. stood behind its final offer made prior to the beginning of the strike.

“We put forth a proposal that we felt would open the door to further negotiations,” Morine said. “When you’re negotiating, you want to have back-and-forth dialogue. The company’s response was, ‘Nope, not interested,’”.

HCC said in its statement that they will continue to stick by their final offer to the union, reiterating that the offer, “represents the strongest wage and benefits package in the history of HCC–UAW negotiations, including a 10% wage increase in 2026."

Morine said that the two sides have been in communication roughly once a week, but no plan is in place for the next meeting between the growing UAW bargaining committee and the HR department of HCC Inc.

Striking workers have remained outside the HCC complex on First Avenue since the strike began, with inclement weather in the area causing the only hiatus during that time.

“It’s getting warmer, so it’s been hot here during the day and you get tired, but you’ve got to be out here, standing up for yourselves and the rest of the people that you work with,”. “You have got to stand together.”

Morine thanked the support of the Mendota and Illinois Valley community for helping to provide resources to the workers as the strike continues.

“The community here has been very supportive,” Morine said. “People have donated water, food, supplies, monetary donations. I mean the help has just come all over from the small businesses, large businesses in town, out of town, just people driving by.”

Morine said that once the strike is over, the union leadership will formally acknowledge and recognize those who helped.

“It’s just been an outpouring of support, and we really do want to thank everyone in the community and beyond who has stopped to give us that show of support that,” he said. “It’s been a little overwhelming sometimes.”

Workers have food, water, shelter, resources and resolve as the strike against HCC enters its third week.