Catherwood LibraryILR School

In Joliet, IL, Solidarity among striking union members for construction equipment giant Caterpillar in Joliet, IL seems to be unraveling among striking union members for construction equipment giant Caterpillar as more and more workers are beginning to cross the picket line. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, called the strike, now in its third month, after the workers rejected two separate contract offers by Caterpillar, which included a six-year wage freeze and increase health insurance premiums. Although IAM officials downplay the defections, workers are increasingly feeling the pinch of lost wages and struggling to feed their families, testing their resolve.