Lockheed Strike

Not sure where you coming from....I think the hiring here Eglin is done. We been told there will not be any new hires. They are already talking about downsizing.

Hmm, LMPeople still has internal openings listed for Eglin F-35 maintainers. But from the previous phone interviews, it sounds like they prefer *everyone* to be comfortable teaching classes, not just fixing airplanes. Guy I spoke to last month said a lot of that was on-aircraft OJT, not standing in front of a podium, but perhaps that's changed? Um, right. NOT doing the polo shirt and starbucks coffee thing, thanks...

(polishing up a potential picket sign)

Coincidentally (or not) been getting stuff in the mail from LM and online from IAM. Sounds like this pension they're fighting for is actually fairly decent! No wonder the Great Gravel Hauling Company wants to dump it all in favor of 401Ks.

I'll be honest I have never been a part of a union and therefore do not understand a lot about them, but I do have questions.

If someone wants to work, and not be unemployed, can't they "cross" or whatever it is called?
If they cross what are the terms of crossing (do they come back and agree to the contract that was rejected)?
Since Texas is Right to Work, can anyone actually tell someone to go on strike?
What stops LM from hiring people from Wichita, KS that are out of work (or soon to be) due to Hawker/Beechcraft issues and Boeing pulling the tanker out of KS?

Based on personal observations, the pension plan is dead with the exception of Government and Union jobs. Companies have realized that pensions, like social security, are Ponzy Schemes that have nailed the companies to the wall in terms of debt burden. Plus if the company ever goes bankrupt, where do all the pension plans go? And what happens to the 401K's? (Hint: pensions get a settlement of pennies on the dollar at best and the 401K is worth what it was worth before the bankruptcy minus any stock the individual had in said company)

Sufe Viper

ECSDuct
So your saying Lockheed will be teaching FTD classes for the new 35 troops?

So no more attending class for a month to get 8 hours of useful information?

Sounds like the post-military world of being an aircraft tech is full of more uncertainty than being in the military. I really do miss working on aircraft, but wouldn't want to deal with strikes and all the madness that comes with government contract work. That's why I recommend anyone who gets out of the military as a tech to go to school for engineering.

ECSDuct
So your saying Lockheed will be teaching FTD classes for the new 35 troops?

So no more attending class for a month to get 8 hours of useful information?

OR, you may get 4 months of how rivets are manufactured or how decode bit codes on the serial data busses.
fisk

Ha! Remember the first week at Sheppard? All we did was study the T.O. system? I recall hearing what I later found out were -60s being started outside and thinking, "WOW! Are those real fighter jets cranking up? Hope I get out of this little room someday to work on them..."

And yes, I was told during the interview as an LM maintainer at EG I'd have to do training. Um, yeah.... ten teenagers staring at me, asking "What's safety wire?"

(re-thinking this blind loyalty to the union)

I'm used to training being, "Dude, go push the mule over here."

Rivets? When I retrained into 16s. And they sent me to avionics 7 Level school at Shppard. We spent the whole first day learning how to fill out a 350 tag. I looked at the instructor and told him you have to be kiding. Thats the first thing I learned how to do when I got to my first base.

Anyone know how the strike is going? Did anything come from the mechs revolt, other than the CEO for LM quitting?

They started hiring contractors.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-201 ... 12827.html

No proress on strike at Fort Worth. No plans for progress either. As a Supervisor on the flight line, we are managing quite well without the mechanics. If you've ever dealt with a union, you know how frustrating thier rules can be. I'm not "allowed" to turn a wrench or I can have a grievance filed aginst me...sigh...but now, we get to do the work. Production is up, quality is WAAAAYYY up, morale is the highest I've ever seen. Quite frankly, on the flight line, we aren't in any hurry for the workers to return. The merits of strike or cross is a personal choice each person must make. Bottom line is do what is best for YOU & YOUR family. Then live with the choice.

They're meeting with mediators...

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/06/18 ... iator.html

Smitty

This was being sent around Lockheed.....



Smitty

Anyone know how the strike is going? Did anything come from the mechs revolt, other than the CEO for LM quitting?

Doesn't sound like he's quitting to me.

http://www.salon.com/2012/04/26/lockhee ... to_retire/

Sounds more like a retirement.

[quote="TJSmitty"]They're meeting with mediators...

http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/06/18 ... iator.html

It's going to be interesting, as the only real problems we had with the offered contract was health care costs and the pension, and Larry Lawson is adamant that there will be no negotiations on those items. We shall see. Would be interesting to hear what suddenly drove the company to asking for FLMB intervention.