New Assembly Line Schedule Will Go Into Effect January 2

Most of the assembly line workers at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, TX working on the F-35 program will be operating under a new work schedule beginning January 2.

The shift comes as the company plans to accelerate to a full-production tempo for the JSF, according to Stars and Stripes.

The schedule continues to have workers on the line 80 hours in two weeks, but rather than eight hours per day, they will work nine hour shifts Monday-Thursday in one week, with an eight hour day on Friday. The following week, they will work four nine-hour days, and have Friday off. The new schedule will cover most of the nearly 2,600 machinists currently working on the project, according to Lockheed spokesman Kenn Ross.

Ross said that the new schedule is in line with plans to ramp up for full production of the F-35 in Fort Worth.

The so-called 9/80 schedule was agreed to during the last collective bargaining round with the Machinists Union. Ross said over the next two years, the company expects to hire an additional 1,000 mechanics and assemblers to work on the program.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.f35.com