Vol.64/No.2 January 17, 2000
Union activist at Caterpillar protests suspension
BY CAPPY KIDD
CHICAGO - The Caterpillar corporation suspended United Auto Workers (UAW) member Bill Wheat December 23, and is threatening him with termination.
Wheat was notified of this company attack while conducting a plant-gate collection for members of UAW Local 2036 in Henderson, Kentucky, who have been locked out by the Accuride corporation for 22 months.
Caterpillar claims Wheat threatened a boss on the plant floor over safety conditions in the factory.
On December 17, UAW member John Stein was injured while loading scrap steel into a railroad gondola at Caterpillar's LL Plant in East Peoria. Stein's arm was crushed when the load shifted and he died in surgery the next day.
The cause of death was listed as blood clots in the heart.
The following Monday, Wheat spoke with union officials in the plant, raising the need for an investigation by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA). According to Wheat, he was confronted the next day by the East Peoria vice president of Caterpillar, Jim Despain, who took issue with the health and safety T-shirt Wheat was wearing and told him, "This plant has an excellent safety record."
Wheat responded that he believed the injury was responsible for Stein's death. According to Wheat, Despain replied, "No, he died of a heart attack," and threatened Wheat with termination for his tone of voice and body language.
Leader of Blue Shirts
Bill Wheat has a long history as a militant union fighter. He is a founding member and central leader of the Tactical Response Team, also known as the Blue Shirts, which grew out of the struggles and strikes by the UAW against Caterpillar's antiunion drive over the past decade.The Blue Shirts have continued to reach out to back other struggles of working people in the area.
In the two weeks prior to Wheat's suspension, they had helped to organize a Local 974 Christmas party in solidarity with a layer of workers at Caterpillar's Morton, Illinois, parts facility who are on a much lower second tier pay scale. They also organized to drive a load of presents to UAW Local 2036 in Kentucky and paid a solidarity visit to the Christmas dance of Local 1969 of the United Mine Workers of America in Girard, Illinois.
Fellow Cat worker and Blue Shirt Tom Smith said the suspension of Wheat is "a cheap shot by Despain. He has had it in for Bill for a long time."
Wheat said he has filed a grievance through his union local, along with an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, and a complaint with the human rights Division of the EEOC.
Messages of solidarity may be sent to UAW Local 974 at 3025 Springfield Road, East Peoria, IL 61611. Fax: (309) 694-3199.
Cappy Kidd is a member of the United Auto Workers Local 890 in Morton Grove, Illinois.
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