Union Calls Agreement 'Fair And Equitable'

In a vote held Sunday afternoon in Fort Worth, TX, members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, District 776, ratified a new labor agreement with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

The new agreement is effective from April 20, 2009 until to April 22, 2012, and covers three IAM bargaining units -- production and maintenance employees, firefighters and nurses -- and includes Lockheed Martin employees in Fort Worth; at Edwards AFB, CA; and at NAS Patuxent River, MD.

In brief remarks to IAM members over the weekend, the union's negotiating committee called the then-tentative agreement "fair and equitable," and urged members to turn out for Sunday's vote.

June Shrewsbury, executive vice president of Company Integration for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, said, "We're pleased the Machinists union members ratified this new contract. It rewards our excellent workforce with fair and equitable wages, benefits and other provisions.

"Our employees perform a critical task for our customers and the nation through their work on the F-35, F-16, F-22 and other programs, and this new contract will help keep them on the job for the next three years."

Ratifying the new contract at this time will allow Lockheed Martin to continue operations uninterrupted, as it works to accelerate production of early versions of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for flight testing.

FMI: www.776iam.org, www.lockheedmartin.com