BY CAPPY KIDD
CHICAGO - On February 13, union negotiators and Caterpillar Corp. reached a tentative contract, which will be presented for a membership vote on the weekend of February 21 - 22. Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW), who have been without a contract at Caterpillar since 1991, ended an 18- month strike against the company in December 1995. According to the Pekin Daily Times of February 13, terms of the proposed agreement include; a six-year contract; new hires starting at 70 percent of union wage with 2.5 percent increases every six months, taking six years to reach full pay; "flex-time" and alternate scheduling.

The tentative agreement also reportedly calls for full amnesty - reinstatement in the union - to all line crossers, dismissal of all 441 unfair labor practice complaints filed against the company, and the return without back pay of about three-quarters of the 160 workers "illegally-terminated" during the strike. Up to 50 of the fired workers will be forced to arbitrate their cases. The company would grant strikers seven months' strike time toward retirement and raise retirement benefits from $1800 per month to $2300 per month by the year 2004.

Wayne Zimmerman, Caterpillars Human Services director, was quoted as saying, "We are very, very happy and satisfied. This agreement is in the best interest for our company and our employees."

In a statement quoted in the Decatur Herald & Review, Richard Shoemaker, international vice president of the UAW and the union's lead negotiator, said, "We're pleased to have the negotiations behind us.. We're confident the agreement will be ratified by the membership."

Jim Clingan, president of UAW Local 974 in East Peoria, said he is recommending ratification only because his members need a contract. He said he was not happy with the agreement. "The fact that it's over with, yes. The settlement itself, no," he said. Quoted by the Decatur Herald & Review, "He and other UAW negotiators said persuading members to support the agreement will not be easy. That was supported by some rank- and-file members who said they do not like what they have been told about the deal."

Some UAW members are campaigning for a "no" vote. Tom Smith, member of Local 974 in Peoria, told The Militant, "People are campaigning for a `no' vote. Inside the plants people are wearing buttons and stickers calling for a `no' vote. Union members have been getting out to other locals to try to get the word out. This contract is not much different than the final offer [rejected by the UAW members in 1995]. There are a few baited hooks for some people particularly the ones near retirement. It's divide and conquer."  
 
 
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