Striking Cat Workers Say No to Latest Offer
Union official says the pay increases being offered were too small given the hike in health care cost.
Striking Joliet Caterpillar workers rejected the company's latest contract offer Wednesday, pushing the work stoppage into its 31st day.
According to a report published by Reuters, 620 of the plant's 800 employees voted on the proposal. It was rejected by 81 percent, the story said. A union official told the wire service that the raises offered were too small, especially given the increase in health care costs being proposed.
Read the full Reuters account: "Caterpillar workers reject contract; strike goes on"
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Caring Citizen
4:09 pm on Thursday, May 31, 2012
Not quite accurate, the people who have been there since before 2005 would receive NO raises, not even cost of living, for 6 years. This contract would also do away with a lot of seniority rights and feed into favoritism by allowing indiscriminate loan outs to other shifts & areas for up to a year without regard to seniority. People hired after 2005 would have the opportunity to receive small periodic "market based" raises, (not guaranteed, even if their work performance is outstanding) and would cap their wages at about 70% of the longer term workers wages.