Machinists on Picket Lines at 3 Lockheed Plants in Southland

Machinist union pickets marched in front of three Lockheed Aircraft Service Co. plants in San Bernardino County today after voting overwhelmingly Sunday to reject the company’s latest contract offer.

The strike began at 12:01 a.m., 12 hours after 93% of the voting union members rejected the contract offer, said Tom Barron, a spokesman for the International Assn. of Machinists Local 821. The union set up pickets at the firm’s operations in Ontario, Upland and Chino.

Lockheed spokesman John Daily said the walkout by about 1,000 machinists out of a work force of 2,500 was having “minimal impact.”

No new talks were scheduled on the dispute over wages and health benefits. The union members have been working without a contract since November.

Lockheed Aircraft Service Co. performs aircraft maintenance and modification for the U.S. government, Daily said.