About Us

For more than eight decades, the United Auto Workers Local 807 has been at the heart of Burlington’s industrial and community identity—defending workers, shaping industry, and building solidarity across generations. Chartered in 1941, Local 807 quickly became a force in Southeast Iowa, organizing the Case plant during wartime production and winning recognition through the National War Labor Board. Early strikes in 1942 and 1946 forged a union spirit that has endured ever since.

Local 807 represents the men and women who built Burlington’s reputation as the “Backhoe Capital.” From the earliest combines in the late 1930s to the groundbreaking Case 320 loader-backhoe of 1957, Burlington workers—through their union—have been at the center of every milestone. Over the decades, they have produced backhoe loaders, tractor loaders, crawler dozers, forklifts, and agricultural headers—earning global respect for quality while sustaining families and fueling the regional economy.

The partnership with Case, later CNH Industrial, has brought both great achievements and hard struggles. Together, union and company achieved milestones like multimillion-dollar reinvestments and expansions, community initiatives, and charitable efforts including the UAW’s long-standing national partnership with the March of Dimes. But there have also been painful chapters: the 1974 strike, the 2004–2005 17-week lockout that scarred workers and families, and the historic nine-month strike of 2022–2023, one of the longest in modern UAW history, which ultimately secured substantial wage increases and stronger protections.

Today, Local 807 faces another defining challenge. In 2024, CNH announced a tentative plan to shift Burlington production and potentially close the facility by 2026. Once again, Local 807 is leading the fight to preserve not just jobs, but the legacy of a workforce that has defined Burlington for nearly a century.

The story of Local 807 and the Case Burlington plant is one of solidarity, resilience, and unwavering pride. It is the story of ordinary people who, through their union, have defended their rights, built world-class machinery, and left an indelible mark on American manufacturing. Burlington’s future, like its past, will be shaped by the strength and voice of its workers.