Caterpillar Gives UAW Its 'Final' Contract Offer

iesel engine maker Caterpillar Inc. said Thursday evening it gave the United Auto Workers its "last, best and final" contract offer and the union held off a scheduled strike.

About 9,000 workers in Illinois, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Tennessee had threatened to strike at noon Thursday if a new contract was not reached.

Caterpillar said in a statement the latest offer "contains substantial improvements in pay and benefits, and provides our

It also said UAW indicated it would submit the offer to a ratification vote in the near future.

Union officials declined comment, the Associated Press reported.

Both sides previously said they were hopeful talks could avoid a repeat of a six-year stalemate that spawned two failed strikes before the two sides agreed to their last contract, the Associated Press reported.

Workers have been on the job without a contract since April 25, when they rejected a proposed six-year deal that Caterpillar billed as its final offer.

The company said it would continue production using salaried employees and temporary workers if the union strikes, the Peoria Journal Star reported. UAW members would be allowed to cross picket lines.

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