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No end in sight for mechanics strike

About 1,700 mechanics remained on the picket lines at suburban and Chicago auto dealerships on Friday without any talks scheduled between the dealers and the union.

The fallout in lost service work income and lost customers is still unknown while mechanics strike over pay, pension benefits, flex time and other issues that remain in dispute.

"This strike is hurting everyone and everyone would like to see an agreement, sooner rather than later. However, there have been no additional negotiations," said Mark Bilek, spokesman for the New Car Dealers Committee representing 130 Chicago and suburban dealerships.

The mechanics, members of the Automobile Mechanics Local 701 have been on strike since Tuesday after rejecting a three-year contract that offered a 5 percent raise each year and other benefits.

There are 420 new auto dealerships in the region, including the 130 affected by the current strike. The affected dealerships are in Barrington, Schaumburg, Elmhurst, Libertyville, Bensenville, Arlington Heights, Naperville, St. Charles and elsewhere.

Another 30 dealerships also have union mechanics, but those contracts are on a different renewal cycle. The remaining 260 area dealerships are nonunion.

Sam Cicinelli, directing business representative for the union, was not immediately available for comment.

Auto mechanics on strike in Chicago suburbs

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