NEW YORK (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc. and its largest union, the United Auto Workers, said late on Wednesday they had tentatively agreed on a new six-year labor contract, ending a four-month stalemate.þþMore than 9,000 United Auto Workers members at Caterpillar plants in Illinois, Colorado, Pennsylvania and Tennessee have been working without a contract since the previous agreement expired in April.þþThey have twice rejected Caterpillar's offers by wide margins.þþPeoria, Illinois-based Caterpillar, the world's largest maker of earth-moving equipment, said the offer included pay, cash and benefit improvements for active and retired employees.þþThe two sides were reportedly at odds over health-care premiums, which would be paid by workers and retirees for the first time, plus a new wage scale that would pay new workers less.þþThe union, which could not be immediately reached for comment, also represents more than 20,000 retirees. þþþþ
Source: NY Times
