Anybody have the straight scoop on Milwaukee Steelworkers Local 1343 turning down Cat?

[Scuba]

All I've seen are right-wing spin accounts about the Union turning down an offer to save their jobs. I'll bet there's more to the story than local media include.

[Brickbat]

1. Looks like wage freezes and increased health-care costs plus a 32 percent raise for the CEO.

[JayhawkSD]

2. Six year contract

freezing wages and calling for increases in cost of benefits. Can't find amounts for the latter. It also is one of the "two tier" things, with lower wages and a 401k retirement plan for new hires. Grocery workers in Southern Californis had one of those two tier contracts and it caused so much dissention that after the contract expierd the new contract went back same graduated pay scale and benefits for all members regardless of longevity.

Given Caterpiller's current market and the collapse in commodities, I would understand unions needing to accept a pay freeze for a short term, perhaps a year or two, but doing so for six years is absurd. No one knows what the economy will look like in six years and committing to an assumption that it will still be depressid that long is stupid. I think the union was right to reject the offer.

[Scuba]

3. Thanks. The right-wing rags made no mention of benefit cost increases or two-tier structures...

... typical for them.

I agree a six-year freeze is unacceptable.