Caterpillar Corporate Greed Threatens American Jobs
 

April 13, 2005 IAM Local Lodge 851 members took their case against corporate greed to the Caterpillar stockholders meeting being held in Chicago, IL this week.  Local Lodge members and other IAM members from the Chicago area conducted an informational picket outside the stockholders meeting while others asked questions inside.

While chants of "corporate greed has got to go" echoed loudly throughout the Chicago financial district, hard questions were being asked to CAT Chairman and CEO James W. Owens. 

Shop Committee member Marion Modesitt put Owens on the hot seat asking the question, "Why are you taking our jobs...American jobs to China?" Owens reply was that CAT is not taking American jobs to China; they are creating new jobs in China.  Modesitt persisted asking, "Why are you threatening us with moving our jobs to China?"  Owens replied that he couldn't discuss the issue because the IAM and CAT are currently in negotiations. Modesitt didn't let him off the hook saying, "You ARE threatening us with losing our jobs!"

GLR Joe Cooper Rallies Our Members

Grand Lodge Representative Joe Cooper really turned up the heat saying, "Mr. Chairman, we are glad to help you make record profits and your profits are up.  We are concerned about your profitability and your commitment to keeping costs low.  CAT has been preaching that to us over and over again in negotiations.

Our problem with your plan to keep costs low is that you want to do it on the backs of our members.  Our members do not have a multi-million dollar salary like you do Mr. Chairman.

Cooper then challenged Owens asking, "Since you have asked us to take cuts...do you have a plan to reduce your wages and benefits ...In other words, from the top down on the management side?

CEO Owens at first ignored the question. Cooper persisted and Owens answered saying, "No we are not going to reduce management wages and benefits."

IAM District 55 Business Representative Dan O'Donnell, Local Lodge President Tim O'Brien and Shop Committee member Bill Rathbun went into the stockholders meeting to ask questions and stand up for Local 851 as well.

IAM members deserve a fair contract with NO concessions in wages, benefits and working conditions.  The members of IAM Local Lodge 851 have lived with concessions for the last twenty years in order to help make Caterpillar competitive.  We have achieved that goal.  Now it is time to reward our membership with a fair contract.