Labor News – Press Release (or Advisory)
This could also be a Public Service Announcement
International Association of Machinists & Aerospace
Workers
Local
1998: Street Address:
Ph: 808-845-1024 Fax: 808-842-0905
Email: mlillis@iamaw.org
Contact:
Grand Lodge Representative Maria Santiago Lillis
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October
24, 2005 – Honolulu Hawaii: Date of Release – Workers at Raytheon IDS,
Torpedo Shop located at West Loch, are conducting an informational picket on
Monday, October 24th, 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. for the purpose of
informing the community of injustices by their Employer. Raytheon does not pay prevailing wages to all
of the unit members. The company, is profitable, yet in negotiations demand wages
cuts, offer no pay increase the first year of the agreement, and now seek to
increase employee portions of medical premiums. The Employees are represented
by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM),
Local 1998.
Several
Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charges have been sustained against the
company. The company has been bargaining
in bad faith by continuing to make unilateral changes in working
conditions. One Unfair Labor Practice charge
has been sustained by the NLRB, with trial pending in November 2005. The NLRB continues to hold one charge in
abeyance, and is investigating other recently filed charges.
The workers
voted to reject the company’s contract proposal in February 2003, due to the
poor economic package that was offered.
The IAM and Raytheon have been in mediation since April. 2003.
The
Machinists Union represents thousands of Raytheon workers, some of which are
located at the Kaena Point Tracking Station, with the majority at locations
throughout the mainland
Raytheon has a government contract with the Navy for the
purpose of torpedo maintenance and repair at the Naval Installation located at
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