Justify This....

[jda67gta]

Lockheed Martin machinists union votes to strike - Fort Worth Business Press - Fort Worth, TX


4/23/2012 9:36:00 AM
Lockheed Martin machinists union votes to strike
Robert Francis
Editor

Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), District 776, voted to go on strike at midnight Monday April 23 as union members voted overwhelmingly to reject Lockheed Martin’s latest contract offer.
The union represents a quarter of Lockheed Martin’s 14,000 area workers in three bargaining units – production and maintenance employees, nurses and firefighters. The union includes about 150 employees each at Edwards AFB, Calif., and NAS Patuxent River, Md., according to Lockheed Martin.
In a statement Lockheed officials said: “We believe our offer included terms that constituted a fair and equitable contract for the IAM members, including wage increases of 3 percent annually in each of the three years, a $3,000 signing bonus, an annual cost of living supplement of $800, increased retirement income for current employees, and various other improvements. We’re disappointed that the IAM members rejected the company’s last, best and final offer and voted to strike. Our operations will remain open and we will implement our contingency plan while focusing on meeting our commitments to our customers.”


Cliffs: 3% per year for 3 years, +COLA, +$3k bonus+ more = strike
WTF

[73sbVert]

I for one, hope that LM tells them to f'k off if they don't want the terms. Then hire those that WANT to work on non-union basis.

I f'king HATE unions.

[Norm]

I'm sorry, they should be lucky they have good jobs as those, Mickey D's hiring.

[jda67gta]

It's nuts. I don't usually let this kind of stuff piss me off, but in this economy that's a damn good deal, and those idiots choose to strike.

Good Riddance...

[RedLS1GTO]

There was a time and a place for unions. 2012 America is not it.

The only function of unions today is to make money for the union leaders. Unfortunately most of them are nothing more than parasites and don't care that they are completely killing the businesses that pay them. Of course, they will be protected when the jobs go away while those who they are claiming to protect will not and are too ignorant to realize that they are blindly following to their own demise.

[Stangkiller]

The US government will get involved and force Lockheed to settle with the Union. Unfortunately, the Union can't lose and they know it.

So embarrassing that something like this can even occur in the US.

[mrvette]

Originally Posted by TxAg

how so?

Same way they screwed Boeing out of the Carolinas....

btw...the ONLY MAN I know of for any time frame happens to be my oldest friend, since '60, in high skool together, electronics hobby, so he went ET in the navy, came back and went to union work at Miller Brewing in Ft. Worthless Tx.....been there 40 years now, FAT chance to be there today without the Teamsters.....but you know, Miller sold to SAB South African Brewing...some holding company no doubt, they have been weeding through all the union guys and staffing up with illegals at 15 bux/hour, 32 hrs/week MAX, strictly enforced, and NO benefits.....Ken is getting ready to pull the plug....

BUT over the last 40 years, they did manage to put two daughters through TCU B school, accounting/finance/business they and their husbands....all 4 of them, making mid/high 6 figure incomes.....not bad for a old tech head and wife.....Wife was a RN, kicked upstairs over the decades....management of some sort.....course if you knew Lilly, you would KNOW the kids would do right....

[Stangkiller]

Originally Posted by TxAg

how so?

Lockheed is primarily working on government contracts...as was the USA machinist out at Kennedy Space Center.

Congress Turns Up Heat on United Space Alliance - 21st Century Labor Union - IAMAW

The Machinists went on strike and the Management team actually turned out to be more productive at doing the machinists work and managements work at the same time. They were in no hurry to re-hire the union, and honestly not interested in paying any more for the money hungry inefficient union workers, especially with all of their guaranteed paid breaks and such.

Well congress got involved and forced USA to settle with the unions. (and this was BEFORE the Obama Regime)

Now in the end, the contract the Unions accepted with USA was actually a less beneficial contract than was originally offered, but it wasn't worse than they had before either.

This will happen with Lockheed, the Unions have pretty much NOTHING to worry about, as far as job security goes.

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

but in this economy that's a damn good deal

Amen.

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

They must figure they can get more, or they wouldn't strike.

[vetteman9368]

I'd shut down. Go galt!

[Stangkiller]

Originally Posted by Thomas

They must figure they can get more, or they wouldn't strike.

It's in the union leaders best interest to strike regardless of the outcome. The Union Leaders use the strike to show they're 'working' for the peoples best interest, when in reality I suspect they know that's the best deal they're going to get..

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

in reality I suspect they know that's the best deal they're going to get..

Makes no sense. Why strike then?

It's in the union leaders best interest to strike

How so?

[Stangkiller]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Makes no sense. Why strike then?


How so?

If you read the rest of my post you'd see.

The Union leaders use the strike as something to point at to say see here we're helping the Union Workers, they deserve more and we're working hard to get them more, in all reality they're just putting on a show trying to rationalize their pay.

In the end I doubt they'll get any more, and they'll just blame the greedy company, thus gaining more support for their union.

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

Originally Posted by Stangkiller

If you read the rest of my post you'd see.

The Union leaders use the strike as something to point at to say see here we're helping the Union Workers, they deserve more and we're working hard to get them more, in all reality they're just putting on a show trying to rationalize their pay.

In the end I doubt they'll get any more, and they'll just blame the greedy company, thus gaining more support for their union.

I'm sorry but your logic on this one escapes me. How does the strike HELP the membership when there isn't another thin dime on the table?

You do realize the membership isn't FORCED to reject the contract because the Union Leader tell them to don't you?

[Stangkiller]

Originally Posted by Thomas

I'm sorry but your logic on this one escapes me. How does the strike HELP the membership when there isn't another thin dime on the table?

You do realize the membership isn't FORCED to reject the contract because the Union Leader tell them to don't you?

Yup, but the Union leaders show up rally the members and convince them they're worth so much more, and that the leaders can get it for them.

So the members follow the leaders and strike.

The members see they're getting a return on their dues, as the leadership is 'working hard' for it's members.

When/if negotiations fail, the union leaders can lambast the company for being too greedy and not supporting it's employees bla bla bla.

This is what happened at KSC with the machinist union. The Union Leaders were actually mis-representing parts of the first and second deal to appear as though they were working for their members.

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

You will surely argue this, but not every union member is a mindless twit who blindly follows what they are told.

So the Business Agent says "Strike!," the membership does, knowing there probably isn't anymore money on the table. This in turn makes the BA stronger, who then goes on television railing the big corporate pig Lockheed. Six weeks later, they settle on the original offer with nothing to show for it but lost wages and a stronger BA.

That sum it up?

[Stangkiller]

Originally Posted by Thomas

You will surely argue this, but not every union member is a mindless twit who blindly follows what they are told.

So the Business Agent says "Strike!," the membership does, knowing there probably isn't anymore money on the table. This in turn makes the BA stronger, who then goes on television railing the big corporate pig Lockheed. Six weeks later, they settle on the original offer with nothing to show for it but lost wages and a stronger BA.

That sum it up?

Almost, but I suspect it's the BA that know they won't get their members much more. The members probably legitimately believe they're worth more and getting the shaft, otherwise they wouldn't have struck.

The only people the have nothing to lose during the strike is the Union Leaders, infact they'll likely be the only winners of said strike.

[Giraffe (He/Him)]

Well, with all due respect, I've heard some valid anti union arguments and some silly ones.

Your's falls into the silly category.

No offense I hope.

[Stangkiller]

Originally Posted by Thomas

Well, with all due respect, I've heard some valid anti union arguments and some silly ones.

Your's falls into the silly category.

No offense I hope.

Believe what you will, but if you think union leaders don't lie and mislead for their own benefit, I've got some ocean front property in Arizona for you.

Have you ever been involved with union negotiations? There's a reason I know so much about the NASA union mess.