FORT WORTH, Texas: Unhappy with proposed changes to health care benefits and pension plans, dozens of Lockheed Martin workers are picketing at a North Texas plant wher F-35 stealth fighter jets are made and outside flight test centres in two other states.
The strike by Fort Worth-based Machinists Local 776 began after the 3,600 unio members voted overwhelmingly to reject the aerospace companys latest contract offer. unio members oppose the companys proposed changes to the health care and pension plans—including higher deductibles and co-payments—and eliminating pension for newly hired workers, said unio spokesman Bob Wood.
“With the higher deductibles, its a higher cost for workers, and that can get expensive very quickly,” Wood said. “Were really drawing a line in the sand.”
The F-35 fighter planes have been at the centre of political controversy in Canada and the Conservative government froze spending on the defence program in early April.
The company said it believes the offer, which comes with wage increases of 3% each year, a $3,000 signing bonus and increased retirement income for current workers, is fair. There are no other meetings scheduled between the company and unio.
Lockheed Martin spokesman Joe Stout said the Fort Worth plant remains open and no problems have been reported. Some employees have been assigned alternate job duties to take over for the striking workers, Stout said.
Still, last week Lockheed informed its customers—the military branches—about the possibility of a work stoppage as required by its federal contracts, Stout said.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District Lodge 776 represents about a quarter of the 14,000 workers at the Lockheed Martin plant. Those on strike do most of the aircraft assembly and manufacturing work on the F-35 and F-16 fighter jets or service the machines and facilities.
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is a supersonic stealth jet and is the nations most advanced and expensive weapons program. Concerns about its safety, cost overruns and questions about the entire programs feasibility have delayed pilot training and caused increased scrutiny by the Pentagon and Congress.
Built by Lockheed Martin under a 2001 contract, the F-35 is supposed to replac Cold War-era aircraft such as the Air Forces F-16 fighter and the Navys and Marines F/A-18 Hornet.
Costing between $65 million and $100 million each, depending on the version, the F-35 is described as a generational leap from older fighter jets. A single-seat aircraft, it can fly at speeds of about 1,050 mph.
©The Canadian Press
