Workers at KC-area ammunition plant enter week 2 of strike, want ‘fair’ contract
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Union workers at Olin Winchester’s Lake City Army Ammunition Plant in Independence are headed into their second week on strike fighting for better wages and conditions.
About 1,350 workers with IAM — International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers — Local 778 have been on strike since midnight on April 4, when their contract expired.
“The company needs to offer a fair economic package that reflects the economy and the times that we’re in,” Scott Brown, directing business representative for IAM Union Local 778, told The Star Monday. “And the second piece was just addressing some of the work-life balance concerns.”
The Star left multiple messages for the administration office at Olin Winchester, which were not immediately returned. The facility produces ammunition for military and personal rifles, according to online descriptions of the facility.
Striking workers walk in four-hour shifts and have been on the line round-the-clock since April 4. Local 778 held a solidarity rally on Saturday.
In a recent news release, IAM Local 778 said represented workers were “escalating pressure on Olin Winchester to reach a fair agreement and restore full operations” at the Independence plant.
That release described Lake City Army Ammunition Plant as “one of the most critical facilities in the U.S. defense industrial base.”
Brown told an Axios reporter that members “take immense pride in the critical role they play in supporting our nation’s military and safeguarding national security.”
“But their first priority is to support their families and put food on the table,” Brown said. “Olin has failed to respect the skilled workforce that keeps the operation running safely and effectively. We urge the company to recognize the value of these workers and bring a fair offer to the table that honors both their contributions and the vital mission they serve.”
Among the issues workers face, Brown told The Star, are low wages and mandatory overtime. In some areas, workers are mandated to work 60 hours a week.
“It just turns into a revolving door,” he said. “They hire them at those low wages, and they force them 60 hours a week. Well, they’re not going to stay there ... because whether you’re working 40 or 60, they’re still broke at that wage.”
This story was originally published April 13, 2026 at 5:58 PM.
