This was the third strike at the plant since 1984.

"If they don’t do something about those attacks on our health-care benefits, I’ll be right back here Monday," said John Hendricks, as he greeted other workers in front of the union hall across from the plant’s main gate, the day before the vote on the contract.

Initial reports indicate that the three-year contract includes wage increases of 4 percent in the first year, and a 3 percent raise in each of the next two years. Workers will receive a $1,500 signing bonus, higher retirement pay, and additional holidays, reports the April 28 Newark Star Ledger.

The 4,000 workers, members of the International Association of Machinists (IAM) District Lodge 776, walked out April 14 in response to a contract proposal that included cuts in health-care coverage for production workers and increases in medical and prescription co-payments.

"My picket duty is Tuesdays from 12 to 4," Hendricks stated. "But I come here every day. We’ll see what they have to offer tomorrow. If it isn’t what we need, we’ll stay right here."

The government sent a federal mediator April 25 to reopen negotiations. The union called the April 27 membership meeting to discuss and vote on the new contract proposal.

On April 26, the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram reported that the union negotiating committee would present proposals to the workers for a vote the following day. Many workers stopped by the union hall to verify these reports.

As the IAM members continued picketing, workers from other unions in the plant organized a cookout for the strikers. "We want to show our support," said Héctor García as he flipped burgers in front of the union hall feeding more than 200 unionists during that Saturday afternoon. He and his fellow cooks are members of the Federated Independent Texas Union (FITU) and they work side by side with the striking Machinists in the plant, he said.

The company initially said that production would continue in the plant of more than 15,000. Management has now admitted very little is being manufactured.

"We will have to see the company’s proposals," stated Garlin Henderson, picket captain at Lockheed’s main gate. "We will take our time to look at them and then we will vote. They report record profits, but make an offer to us that’s insulting," he said, in describing why he and other Machinists voted to strike April 13.

Lockheed recently reported a 15 percent gain in first-quarter profits this year, with the biggest increases in the aeronautics division.

"I don’t want the health insurance costs to eat up my income," said Paul Moody as he picketed with Henderson. He works on the fighter jets’ forward fuselage tanks. "They call me a ‘tank rat,’" said Moody. "I climb inside the tanks to do my work." Moody, a new hire who has worked for Lockheed for less than a year, recalled a previous job as a valet where increasing health-care costs did in fact eat up all his wages. "I don’t want to go back to that," he stated.

"For me the big thing about this strike is how high everyone’s morale is," Moody said.

Tony Dutrow from Houston, Texas, contributed to this article.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home