The Machinists walked out against Lockheed--the second-largest employer in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, and the largest U.S. war production contractor--in response to company demands that workers pay higher health-care deductions and prescription co-payments. Lockheed also demanded job combinations that will lead to layoffs.

"We will stay out one day longer than they can stand it," said Lonnie Walker, a 24-year journeyman machinist. Walker, a gate captain for the union pickets, said he was asked by an Associated Press reporter, "Do you think it’s right that you guys are going out in a time of war?" He responded, "Yes. We have a right to do this. In fact we made the planes they are using in Iraq."

The unionists point out that the company’s meager proposals for wage increases of only 4 percent, or 27 to 56 cents an hour in the first year, and 3 percent over the next two years, would be eaten up by the proposed medical and prescription co-payments.

"They pretend to give us little raises with one hand, while they have the other hand in our pockets," said Rueben Pérez, who was rehired last year after being laid off since 1994.

"The biggest thing for me was the increases they want us to pay for medical coverage," said George Baker, who is partially disabled. Baker has been laid off and rehired several times since he started working for the company in 1984. "You are only considered a Lockheed employee for nine months. After that you have to be rehired ‘off the street,’" he explained. Benefits and wages paid start over again with each time hired--often lower than when laid off.

Pauline Ramos, with 22 years in the plant, explained this was her third strike. "They want us to give up what we already have," she told the reporters. "You don’t ever want to do that because once you give something up you will never see it again." Ramos heads up the union’s video team. She said that in the 1984 strike the company used doctored video tapes to frame union pickets on charges of "violence." Since that time the union has maintained its own 24-hour video surveillance during strikes.

Workers were incensed by the news that despite the poor-mouthing of the bosses in recent weeks leading up to the contract deadline, multi-million dollar bonuses were given to company chairman Vance Coffman and Dain Hancock, president of the Fort Worth–based aeronautics division.

The last contract was signed in 2000 after a 17-day strike. Since then about 1,700 Machinists have been hired as the result of the company increasing production for new contracts.

A younger layer of workers has been hired in the last 18 months, many as part of the multi-billion dollar bonanza that Lockheed garnered from the Pentagon, besting its main competitor in 2001, the Boeing Corporation. The bosses had hoped this younger layer would be less inclined to strike and would subordinate their interests to the calls for "sacrifice" during wartime. Instead the company came up against unexpected resistance.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported April 18, in an article titled "Solidarity for the ages," that these new workers voted overwhelming against the contract, and are turning out in large numbers at the picket line. The company withdrew a demand to exclude new hires from the retirement program. The company has tried to maintain production using technicians, engineers, and research personnel along with supervisors. By the third day of the strike, management admitted that production is slowing down and the company is trying to fill a 300-plane backlog of orders with F-16s that are already assembled.

The union local’s web page features the solidarity the strikers have received from nonunion workers in the plant, other unions, and local businesses, including a contingent of United Auto Workers members who have walked the picket line.

This outpouring of solidarity from workers in the area and from those working in the plant shows the failure of the company’s baiting of the workers as "overpaid." Strikers said that wages range from $11.00 up to $22.43 per hour for the highest-paid skilled workers.

To send solidarity and find out more information about this important battle, contact the local’s web page in Fort Worth at www.776iam.org  
 
 
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