Caterpillar Question (Peoria, Joliet, Union: loan, wage, living)

[vikm23]

Hello,

I am in the running to join Caterpillar in Peoria and am excited but had some questions. Can anyone provide feedback on the work environment and opportunities offered to minorities? I realize CAT is a highly reputable Fortune 500 company so overt discrimination probably isn't there but I'm just trying to rule out any "glass" ceilings.

[jenrose7770]

My husband is currently on strike at the CAT plant in Joliet.
This is why they are on strike:

This is what the Union's asking for:

1. Guaranteed wage increases for post 2005 members
2. Cost of living adjustments
3. Defined benefit Pension Plan
4. Limited loan outs and downgrades by seniority
5. Fair and equal overtime sharing

This is what the Company wants:

1. Market based adjustments for post 2005 members
2. Wage freeze for pre 2005 members
3. Instead of Pension Plan, Company wants 401K Retirement Plan
4. Unlimited temporary loan outs and demotion or downgrade NOT BY SENIORITY
5. Work overtime out of rotation

[linicx]

To answer your question I would say no. CAT promoted my LGBT engineer cousin to a mid-management position 55-years ago. Additionally the City of Peoria is a very old city that was built on the backs of black, brown, white yellow, and red labor well over 100 years before the name Caterpillar emerged. , The history and culture of the city is as racially diverse as its arts, foods and religious community. The CAT Board of Directors has been very pro-active in their communities and in Peoria for at least 50 years that I can think of. Today CAT is a highly complex company that it is as comfortable with CAD and forensics as it is with a lathe and engine test. I do not see any indication that CAT knowingly supports discrimination across racial/social/economic/political lines.


Welcome to Peoria!

Originally Posted by vikm23

Hello,

I am in the running to join Caterpillar in Peoria and am excited but had some questions. Can anyone provide feedback on the work environment and opportunities offered to minorities? I realize CAT is a highly reputable Fortune 500 company so overt discrimination probably isn't there but I'm just trying to rule out any "glass" ceilings.

[vikm23]

I am not suggesting the Caterpillar supports discrimination and it certainly doesn't seem this way. In fact, being as global and multi-faceted as it is, it probably depends on workers from various backgrounds and countries. But as a minority with high potential and high aspirations, these are the questions I need to ask. Also, CAT has over 25 officers but only one is a minority and a BOD of over 15 people with again only 1 minority, so I think this is a very legitimate question.

[linicx]

I looked at the 16 member Board and found two black males, one white female and one Mexican male or 1/4 of the Board. I would bet a cup of coffee they all have a Doctorate in Finance. They all bring years of business expertise to the table. Caterpillar Board of Directors

CAT offers career opportunities world wide.

[mdand3boys]

Originally Posted by vikm23

Hello,

I am in the running to join Caterpillar in Peoria and am excited but had some questions. Can anyone provide feedback on the work environment and opportunities offered to minorities? I realize CAT is a highly reputable Fortune 500 company so overt discrimination probably isn't there but I'm just trying to rule out any "glass" ceilings.

Excellent company to work for, no matter what ethnicity you are. Managers are from every ethnicity you can imagine, and then some.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

There seems to be some very good feedback to your question and the first thing that came to my mind was already highlighted.

CAT is a world class operation and its production is set on the world stage.

[jenrose7770]

Its a world class company for Non-Union workers but if your union....

[linicx]

.... If you are union and you don't want to strike, or support strikes, and you do not want union benefits, the correct thing to do is to find another job while you still have one. CAT has applicants who want your job. Yes it is sad when new hires find find themselves embroiled in a strike soon after going to work. Life happens; you were not singled out. There was already noise about a strike before you ever went to work. Contracts renew every two years. Some years there is no strike. Some years it is a very short strike. Some years the strike is protracted. I remember one where strikers were out over a year. I remember a year when CAT locked the gates and hired armed guards. Strikes happen.

Anyone who works in a union shop can expect a strike at any time for any reason. A factory, by the very nature of the work, is more likely to strike than say, uh, IBEW 1.

[sunnyandcloudydays]

In the United States we have liberty and you are at liberty to accept a job or to turn a job down.
No one is forcing anyone to work at a place if they do not wish .

In my youth I accepted a job at a grocery store which was union.
My pay scale was not as much as the older workers, however I never complained because I fully accepted the job knowing this and agreed to the terms.

The upside was I had a job and I had benefits.
I was happy albeit I was not making as much as the person stocking the shelf next to me.

Another positive was it provided me with personal skills which I still use in my everyday life.

Deep down I did not feel as if it was right doing the same job and making less but I accepted this because it was what I needed and that was a paycheck.

Sometimes I feel as if people forget to weight the advantages and disadvantages in any situation.

Everything has an upside and everything has a downside.