Delegates shift gears as Congress goes into recess
AGAINST A BACKDROP of naked anti-union attacks — both at state and federal levels — delegates to the Boilermakers LEAP conference in Washington, D.C. March 20-24 gathered to assess the political landscape, align priorities, and lobby members of Congress. Lobbying was complicated by the fact that federal lawmakers took an unexpected recess just prior to the conference, so Capitol Hill was virtually empty of lawmakers.
AS MEMBERS OF Local 1814 (Bridge City, La.) report for work at the Avondale shipyard each day, they do so with a sense of foreboding. Unless something changes dramatically, Northrop Grumman will shut down Avondale, eliminating about 4,500 jobs by 2013. Nearly 1,000 Boilermakers worked at the shipyard and at the smaller Tallulah shipyard until last fall, when the company began laying off workers. The firm ceased operations at Tallulah in late 2010. By early February 2011, only about 550 L-1814 members remained at Avondale.
Veteran shipyard employees recall past organizing struggle
JOE JOHNSON, A Local 1814 (Bridge City, La.) consultant, met with the staff of U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu this past summer to push for the Employee Free Choice Act. The act would make it easier for workers to organize and would provide stiffer penalties for employers that break labor laws. Landrieu, a Democrat from Louisiana, has been reluctant to commit herself in support of the bill.
$1 billion warship bears World Trade Center steel in bow
A VERY SPECIAL ship left the Avondale shipyard Oct. 13, bound for New York harbor and commissioning in the U.S Navy. Delivered by Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding (NGSB) and built by Avondale’s shipbuilders, many of whom are members of Local 1814 (Bridge City, La.) along with other unions of the New Orleans Metal Trades, the LPD 21 (New York) is one of the most advanced ships of its kind.
LOCAL LODGE 1814 (Bridge City, La.) hosted steward training on Jan. 15-16 for workers represented by the New Orleans Metal Trades Council at Northrop Grumman Ship Systems.
A brief listing of recent agreements signed and ratified by Boilermaker local lodges
National Transient Lodge
Effective Aug. 11, 2007 to July 10, 2008, for 32 members of the National Transient Lodge who manufacture tanks and tank systems for the grain processing industry at the Winbco Tank Company in Ottumwa, Iowa. Winbco is a custom manufacturer of tanks, pressure vessels, columns, and equipment for use in the food, grain, ethanol, hydrocarbon, chemical, power, wastewater, fruit juice, and brewing industries.
