Brothers and Sisters,

The Company passed across Article 7; Classifications, in conjunction with the Classifications Task List.

The conception of this nightmare was drafted up by BIW’s Director of Trades Evan Gilman. The evident lack of true production knowledge presented itself as soon as we opened the packet. How this man still possesses employment at BIW after having access to arguably the most versatile contract in recent memory is staggering.

The Company is now wanting to increase the list of flexibility, stealing from almost every trade, all in an effort to reduce management responsibility.

Clearly, from the Unions perspective, there should be a job opening for the Director of Trades in the near future for lending a helping hand to Dirk and his band of engineers to cripple this shipyard.

Remember, Dirk Lesko is trying to follow in his father Newland Lesko’s footsteps who was involved in forcing the Union out of International Paper. Apparently, he’s trying to keep the family tradition alive. International Paper went on strike in 1987 and the rest is history.

We don’t want to be part of history; we want to be part of the future.

Company Proposed Article 7 Changes

  • Long term loans are picked by management and will prefer senior qualified volunteers where business needs can accommodate (management decides)
  • Loans longer than four weeks: non-volunteers may take a voluntary layoff in place of a loan (no unemployment)
  • Notification can be sent to Local S6 up to one day late
  • Loans may be between facilities
  • No loans into a classification on involuntary layoff (voluntary no longer counts)
  • The Company can loan into a classification with employees loaned out
  • The Company can have long term loans out of a classification that is hiring
  • Long term loans can begin on any day of the week
  • Employees on loan are now eligible to be loaned
  • Versatility is now for your entire trade not just for your job
  • No limit on short term loans

All these updates that have been written and will continue to be written are by the committee and posted on our LS6 Facebook page. We appreciate all the members sharing and supporting us. More updates will come tomorrow….

In Solidarity, Local Lodge S6 Negotiating Committee