Lockheed Machinists Walk Out in San Bernardino County

Nearly 1,000 machinists union members at Lockheed Corp.’s aircraft service subsidiary walked off their jobs Monday at four maintenance facilities in San Bernardino County.

Members in Local Lodge 821 of the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers voted to strike after rejecting a proposal by Lockheed Aircraft Service Corp.

Workers began picketing Monday morning outside the company’s Upland, Chino and two Ontario facilities. A total of 2,500 employees perform regular maintenance and modification work at the four sites for the Air Force and Navy.

Lockheed spokesman John Daily said the facilities were continuing to operate with salaried and supervisory employees.

Union representative Bob Gregory said the company’s offer was inferior to the 3 1/2-year pact accepted last week by 18,000 machinists at Lockheed manufacturing plants in Burbank, Sunnyvale, Calif., and Marietta, Ga.

As an example, Gregory said highly skilled workers at the Burbank plant were given a 4% wage increase and a $2,500 signing bonus. The San Bernardino members, he said, were offered a 3% increase and no signing bonus.

“We are dealing with a different lodge and with different issues,” company spokesman Daily said, adding that company policy kept him from discussing its labor proposal.

Company and union officials said there were no plans for further negotiations.