UAW Says Caterpillar Plan Would Send 500 Jobs to Mexico

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBR9AAM92E.html

PEORIA, Ill. (AP) - Heavy equipment giant Caterpillar Inc. announced plans Thursday to retool an aging Peoria-area foundry, a move criticized by union leaders because it will shift more than 500 jobs to Mexico within four years. snip

Smaller parts now made in Mapleton would be moved to a foundry in Mexico that Caterpillar hopes to develop through a joint venture being negotiated with Grupo Industrial Saltillo, one of Mexico's leading manufacturing suppliers, Dunn said.

If the deal is approved early next year, work would be shifted to Mexico in 2007 or 2008, leaving about 200 workers in Mapleton, Dunn said. More than 700 hourly employees now work at the plant, about 10 miles southwest of Peoria, he said.

Caterpillar, the world's largest maker of earth-moving equipment, would reduce employment through attrition and transfers to other Peoria-area plants, and no full-time employees would be laid off, Dunn said.

"It doesn't matter how you spin it. It's more than 500 fewer jobs in the Peoria area," said Rick Doty, spokesman for Caterpillar's largest United Auto Workers local in East Peoria.

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[sam sarrha]

1. which would send tractor CRAP back, they just cant do the job. i am from

El Paso and the Sweat shop mentallity of Mexico is a major liability of Quality.

[Sara Beverley]

2. Hey, they want to be free to make those bulldozers for Israel without any

flack by US activists.

[yorgatron]

3. they won't have to send jobs out after the dollar becomes worthless

that's the ultimate goal.

[Amigust]

4. But outsourcing US jobs is good for the economy, yeah.

Whose economy?

[sam sarrha]

5. Mexico, India, China.. giving our jobs to them is just *ush bribing them

to support our dirty illeagle Imperial war