89 Percent Of IAM Workers Voted To Walk Out
The situation was tense outside the gates at Hawker
Beechcraft's plant in Wichita, KS Monday morning... with over 100
machinists on strike, working to prevent employees from crossing
the picket line.
"I've never seen the union this fired up before," 30-year
employee Jim Greer told the Wichita Eagle. "I'm going to stay out
as long as it takes."
Drivers attempting to enter the gates were confronted for a few
seconds at a time by picketers, who officially began strike action
against the planemaker at 12:01 am Monday, when their current labor
contract expired.
The Associated Press reports workers rejected a proposal by the
company Saturday, with 90 percent voting against the offer and 89
percent voting to strike. Reasons for the vote ran the usual gamut,
including oft-stated concerns about pensions and health care
benefits. Hawker Beech workers also said the company's proposed
contract did little to address a pay disparity between Hawker Beech
employees, and their better-paid counterparts down the road at
Cessna.
Of particular concern to workers, however, is the fear the
company will outsource their jobs to Mexico.
As ANN reported, in June the International
Association of Machinists said it had uncovered a five-year plan,
dubbed "Project Pelican," detailing instructions on how Hawker
Beechcraft planned to conceal the scope of its plans to outsource
production work to what is currently a relatively small production
facility in Chihuahua.
"I've never been so proud of our union brothers and sisters,"
said machinist Martin Peterson, who has worked at the Wichita plant
for 20 years. "To finally get our contract vote right made me
proud."
Peterson added his wife is working two jobs to make ends meet
while the strike goes on, and that the couple has saved money to
wait out the strike if it should go on for weeks.
Hawker did not comment Monday morning to the AP, but it did
release a statement Saturday expressing disappointment about the
union's vote to strike.
"The company's offer was the best offer made to employees in
more than 20 years," Hawker Beech said in the written statement.
"The company addressed every major issue brought to the bargaining
table by union leadership, as the proposed package contains
increased wages, more choices in health care plans, and improved
medical, dental, vision and pension benefits."
The Hawker proposal outlined plans
for 4 percent pay raises in each of the three years spelled out in
the contract, along with increased vacation time and a $2 per year
increase in pension plan funding.
Company representatives concede Cessna's hourly workers make
about 30 cents per hour more than Hawker Beechcraft workers... but
that's because Cessna has a greater order backlog, they said,
and posts higher profits.
That reasoning did not play well to striking workers. "We are
tired of being second-class," said second-generation machinist
Juice Bruner. "They want to be a world-class company, treat us as
world-class workers. We want our fair share."
"I thought the whole contract was disrespectful for the
workers," added machinist Derrick McDonald. "This is an aircraft
town. We are the lowest paid."