Locals vote to extend Northrop Grumman contracts

Shipyard workers okay raises, preserve health care benefits

Members of Local 693 (Pascagoula, Miss.) cast their votes on a two-year contract extension with Northrop Grumman
[+]Enlarge

UNION EMPLOYEES AT Northrop Grumman’s Gulf Coast shipbuilding facilities overwhelmingly approved a two-year contract extension Dec. 1. The Pascagoula Metal Trades Council and its affiliates, including Local 693 (Pascagoula, Miss.), joined with other unions on the property to pass the extension by an 85 percent margin. The New Orleans Metal Trades Council and its affiliates, including Local 1814 (Bridge City, La.), joined with other unions to approve the extension by a 90 percent margin.

Warren Fairley, International Vice President for the Industrial Sector, led the negotiations for the Boilermakers. “This is an excellent deal for our members given the uncertain economic times,” he said. “The extensions continue the health insurance benefits that are in place, without any premium increases. They also provide wage improvements of $1.10 [for journeyman workers] over two years and a $1,000 signing bonus.”

The extensions take the current contracts to March 11, 2012. Wage increases of 55 cents per hour become effective January 4, 2010 and March 8, 2011.

“Health care costs continue to go up each year,” noted John Chapman, Assistant Director of Industrial Sector Operations. “So the ability to keep benefits exactly as they are now is a big plus for these members.”