Thousands of United Auto Workers were turned away Wednesday as they tried to return to work at Caterpillar Inc. and end their five-month strike.
The UAW and Caterpillar, the world's largest maker of earth-moving equipment, had agreed Tuesday that strikers should return to their jobs while contract talks proceed.Caterpillar said it needs about a week to decide how many workers to call back. Since the strike began with a limited walkout Nov. 4, management has said it can run its plants with 10 percent to 15 percent fewer workers.
But the union told more than 12,000 workers they should report Wednesday to their jobs at Illinois plants in East Peoria, Mossville, Maple-ton, Aurora, Pontiac and Decatur.
As the company warned, the strikers were shut out of all plants.
At Aurora, 2,100 returning strikers found their electronic security cards failed to open building doors, the union said. As guards sent them away, workers each were handed a letter telling them not to return until notified.
"Before the wounds even heal, they'll stab you again," said George King, Aurora assembly worker and machinist for 19 years.
At East Peoria, union officials took the names and identification badge numbers of employees denied access to the plant. They said they planned to have members return every day until Caterpillar lets them in.
Jim Despain, vice president and general manager at the large tractor assembly division in East Peoria, stood at the plant gate, trying to explain to workers that they should go home and await further word.
"It's a high state of confusion because unfortunately the other side is communicating the wrong thing," he said.
State police were on hand as cars circled the plant and dozens of union members stood outside. No confrontations were reported.