Lockheed Machinists Approve Contract

With a few hours to go before a midnight strike deadline, machinists at Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works plant in Palmdale and in Marietta, Ga., voted late Tuesday to approve a contract. Palmdale workers will receive a 3% pay raise over three years and more flexibility in scheduling time off. Under the new package, workers will be able to take vacation time in four-hour increments and sick time in one-hour increments, according to Gary Holt, area director for the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, District Lodge 725, which represents about 1,800 workers. The contract was narrowly approved, which Holt said “reflected that our members were not totally happy with the financial package.” The union had threatened to strike last Saturday, but put off the job action under orders from federal officials. In talks Monday and Tuesday, Lockheed Martin sweetened the offer by including more flexibility in vacation and sick time. Among other functions, the Palmdale plant performs maintenance on the F-117 stealth fighter and the U-2 spy plane.