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Caterpillar Offers Modified Proposal to UAW

17 March 1998

Caterpillar Offers Modified Proposal to UAW

    WASHINGTON, March 16 -- Federal Mediation and Conciliation
Service (FMCS) Director John Calhoun Wells announced today that Caterpillar
Inc. has made a modified contract proposal to the United Auto Workers union.
    Wells has been in frequent separate and joint discussions with Caterpillar
Vice President of Human Services Division Wayne Zimmerman and UAW Vice
President Richard Shoemaker during the last three weeks, including several
conversations this past weekend.  On February 22, UAW local union members did
not ratify a tentative agreement reached earlier in February with the Peoria,
Illinois-based heavy equipment manufacturer.
    Today's offer of a modified proposal came during a conference telephone
call between Wells, Shoemaker and Zimmerman.  Details of the proposal will not
be released until UAW leaders have reviewed the offer with members of their
Central Bargaining Committee, which includes representatives of approximately
12,000 workers at Caterpillar facilities in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Colorado
and Tennessee.

SOURCE  Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service