Strikes impact everyone – especially our production workers. It’s important for you to understand the risks and impacts to you should a work stoppage or strike occur.
It is your lawful right to choose to join a strike or come to work. One of the first steps in the process is a strike authorization vote. The scheduling of a strike authorization vote is a routine procedure often conducted by unions during contract negotiations. It does not mean there will be a strike. The vote provides the union with the authorization to call a strike if they feel that is necessary. All UAW-represented employees have the right to participate in a strike and have an equal right to not participate and continue to work. Through our contingency plan, we will be open for those employees who wish to work. The decision is yours to make, and Caterpillar will not interfere with your decision.
An employee at the top of Labor Grade 3 who is working 8 hours of overtime per week would lose close to $700 per week after strike pay, plus the above benefits losses. A four-month strike would cost over $10,500, plus Rewards impact, vacation impact, 401k match loss and potential health care coverage loss.