Fred Alvarez, left, and Brad Milliken pose with “Cheesy” during a strike of the Operating Engineers Local 150 labor union. (Photo by Amanda McFarland)

WARSAW — For the past two weeks, drivers heading to and from Warsaw may have noticed several cars, signs and a giant, stuffed rat outside MacAllister Machinery Inc.’s The Rental Store north of town.

The rat is “Cheesy,” an unofficial mascot of sorts for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, which is currently on strike out in front of the store, picketing for what they feel are unfair labor practices.

Fred Alvarez and Brad Milliken were on hand Tuesday, March 29, though they said they were unable to comment on what the unfair practices are. They use “Cheesy” to draw drivers’ attention and vehicles often honk their support as they drive by.

According to MacAllister Rental Store location manager Matt Niebur, a vote was taken in November, 2015, at the South Bend location against unionizing. Since then, there have been strikes at MacAllister locations throughout the state.

He added there are no local McAllister employees participating in the strike.

“Honestly, I tell everybody, if you want to step into our shop and talk to one of our technicians about how this company treats everybody, it’s very positive.”

Milliken and Alvarez pointed out a generator placed close to where they are striking. The generator has been running constantly, they said, and has been a source of annoyance to strikers and to vehicles passing by. Niebur did not deny the generator was placed close to the strikers.

“Since they’ve been there, we’ve had compressors out testing for probably three days,” he said. “Usually they test on the other side of the yard, but we moved them out there. It’s kind of one of those things. They’ve got a megaphone, they’ll turn on their car alarms. They kind of harass our guys and call them rats every time they come out of the yard. If they put that compressor out there, they don’t have to hear that sort of harassment when they walk out there.”

The strike has been going on for about two weeks now. Milliken and Alvarez said it will continue for an indeterminate amount of time, depending on how the situation plays out. In the meantime, “Cheesy” will be a fixture on the north end of town.

Edward Maher, communications director with the Local 150, contacted Ink Free News.

“The Local 150 filed unfair labor practice charges against MacAllister with the National Labor Relations Board Feb. 23 and March 7 on two separate incidents,” he said in an email. “One charge alleges that MacAllister unlawfully retaliated against two employees for engaging in federally protected activity and the other alleges that MacAllister interfered with Local 150’s lawful right to strike. Both charges are currently under investigation by the National Labor Relations Board.”