Negotiations Update: 8/8/20 Tentative Agreement

Aug 8, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Leadership Alert

First and foremost, Local S6 was very apprehensive about entering the federal mediation process. President Donald Trump appointed Director of FMCS Richard Giacolone and Commissioner Martin Callaghan to run the mediation process. They proved to be valuable tools in pushing both parties to move in the right direction and get our members off the picket lines and back to work. General Dynamics Executive Vice President Robert Smith was present for the entire process, alongside Bath Iron Works President Dirk Lesko, which allowed Local S6 to engage in valuable dialogue.

This process was emotional, difficult, and frustrating for both parties. Being able to reach a tentative agreement to bring back to our membership that keeps our subcontracting language unchanged, continues to protect seniority, and attain a modest economic package is what we were able to do.

We believe this agreement gives BIW the tools they need to have, and the ability to respond to the unpredictability of their day to day needs. This was a testament to the power of collective bargaining and a strong educated unit that backed the Local S6 Negotiating Committee. Solidarity, hard work, and dedication gave us the ability to push forward in a seemingly unwinnable fight. We are proud of our members who stood strong.

The Local S6 Negotiating Committee unanimously endorses this proposal to bring back to the membership for a vote. Bath Iron Works is printing copies of the proposal and will be mailing it out ASAP, allowing everyone to read it and ask questions so you can accurately vote.

Local S6 would like to give a special thank you to IAMAW International President Robert Martinez Jr, General Vice President Bryan Bryant, and their staff, for the immense amount of support and effort given to Local S6 during this challenging process.

We will be using Ballot Point to vote once again. Everyone will be sent a new PIN number. We will provide the information as soon as it’s available. The Company and Union are finalizing details about the process for returning to work following the ratification vote, details of which will be released in the next coming days.

The following is a comparison from the Last Best Final = (LBF) and the new tentative agreement.

Article 3 Roles and Responsibilities

• We will be jointly developing merit raise criteria.

Article 7 Classifications

• The versatility language will stand at for your job only, the LBF would have expanded it to your entire trade, the only task added was, for any classification that had safe use of come-alongs- it has now added: “including straps and attachments.”
• Short Term Loans: The company wanted to go to unlimited occurrence (LBF), in the prior contract they had the ability to do roughly 1000 per year if fully utilized. The new language allows for 300 per year, with language that assures no more than 10 consecutive days for an employee.
• Long Term Loans: Were proposed to be done with minimal responsibility for consideration of seniority. They will now be done by seniority unless skill and ability is necessary. The Union will be involved in any of these types of decisions, if the parties can not reach an agreement, FMCS will assist the parties in reaching a resolution.

Article 10 Shift Changes

• Shift Changes are still seniority-based, after the first 6 months of employment.

Article 11 Overtime

• The OT selection criteria went back to previous language and now continues to protect seniority. The polling/assignment process is being modified so that everyone is asked on Wednesday and then assignments start on Thursday.
• Missed OT will still be a no-fault and not a PB as proposed in the (LBF).
• Canceling for OT will still be allowed through a hotline (LBF stopped any cancellations).

Article 18 Compensated Time Off

• The Company got off the scheduling of all vacation for four classifications, it is now C70, S18, Y02 only for Fridays, notice must be Thursday by lunch. There will be allowed up to 5 times per year as an exception. The three classifications will be compensated $2.00/hr for any Fridays that they work.

Article 19 Compensation

• Compensation matches the previous offer, 3%, 3%, 3% and $1,200 ratification bonus.
• There will be retro pay for any hours worked May 17^th– June 21^st.
• Consistent with the LBF the MO3’s get a raise for the first time in 12 years!

Article 21 Employee Benefits

• There is a reduction in all the plans from the (LBF) in weekly contributions.
• Previously there was an annual 5% increase in cost. That is now 4%, 3%, 3%.
• The increase in prescriptions has also been reduced.

 Article 30 Subcontracting

• WE WERE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE CURRENT CONTRACT LANGUAGE.
• An MOA was agreed to that allows for a temporary catchup phase though the end of the year, subcontracting will be phased out at the end of the year and we return to the prior language. As part of this agreement, Christmas shutdown will be a work week with code 14 options, OT will be offered to 25% of any classification with subcontractors in here, BIW will hire at a 2:1 ratio for any sub.
• NO LAYOFF CLAUSE for 2020.
• Hiring requisitions will go back to Grade 1-9.
• There is a commitment to form a joint Union/Company committee to help get Bath Iron Works back on schedule, secure our future, and meet weekly to collectively move forward.

Article 31 Special Events

• Improvement was made to the vague language in the LBF.

Article 32 At Sea Assignments

• Seniority was protected, there will be no handpicking of 30 riders.
• The Union will assist in identifying the correct people.

Article 38 Transfers/ Job Opening Process

• The LBF required trade superintendent approval to transfer between departments. The new language only requires that you have at least one year in your current department.
• The company can hold you back on a transfer for up to 120 days but will compensate you $4.00/hr if they do after the first 15 days.

Article 39 Joint Agreement Process

• The timeframes have been streamlined to help with expediting issues.

Article 43 Supervisor Regression

• Under Supervisor regression, Backup Supervisors were brought back at a rate of $5.00/hr.

Article 44 Manning/Demanning

• Manning/Demanning was proposed to be done with minimal responsibility for consideration of seniority. They will now be done by seniority unless skill and ability is necessary.
• The Union will be involved in any of these types of decisions.
• If the parties cannot reach an agreement, FMCS will assist the parties in reaching a resolution.

Article 49 Attendance At Work

• In the LBF the requirement was to call in prior to shift. You now have up to 1 hour into your shift.

Article 50 Rules of Conduct

• IS the same as LBF, but now has the old no-fault language back in it.
• PLEASE NOTE: DISCIPLINE DID NOT GO AWAY; the Company was steadfast on this issue.

Article 51 Duration of Agreement

• The duration of the contract is 3 years August 24, 2020 -August 20, 2023.

Schedule B Hours of Work

• The TA is the same as the LBF, all facilities will be on the same hours starting January 4, 2021.

Schedule C Weekend Overtime Hours

• The TA is the same as the LBF, all facilities will be on the same hours starting January 4, 2021.

Schedule D Subcontracting Standing List

• We were able to remove, fuel deliveries, machinery breakdown language and define tree cutting, from the LBF.

TASK LISTS

• Made several improvements to the proposed LBF task list, including keeping temp vent in T04, maintaining the prior split of work on TTS beams, kept weight test with C70’s etc.

Negotiations Update: 8/6/20

Aug 6, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Brothers and Sisters,

Negotiations Update: Day 3 of Mediation

Another long night at the bargaining table resulted in some additional movement by both parties. There were three additional articles TA’d (tentative agreement) resulting in a total of eight since the beginning of the mediation process.

The FMCS mediation seems to be a decisive influence, resulting in one of our main issues coming to a positive outcome.

The Negotiating Committee understands that it is very frustrating for our brothers and sisters to receive vague information. However, in following the FMCS mediation guidelines, that’s all the Negotiating Committee is at liberty to say. We plan to provide a fully comprehensive report, as soon as possible, in keeping with those guidelines.

The Union Negotiating Committee is hopeful that the forward progress between the parties will continue, resulting in a fair contract, and bringing all of our members back to work.

This is an incredibly frustrating, challenging, and emotional process. We recognize the future of over 4400 of our brothers and sisters is in the balance. Our committee is dedicated to a resolution that benefits all.

United We’re One. Divided We’re Done.

In Solidarity,

Local S6 Negotiating Committee

Negotiations Update: 8/5/2020

Aug 5, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Brothers and Sisters,

Negotiations Update: Day 2 of Mediation

Although we T.A.’ed (tentatively agreed) to three articles yesterday (good progress) negotiations appear to be breaking down as the bigger issues are being addressed. We will continue to stand strong and united as we work towards a fair collective bargaining agreement.

United We’re One, Divided We’re Done.

In Solidarity,

Local S6 Negotiating Committee

Negotiations Update: 8/4/20

Aug 4, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Brothers and Sisters,

Negotiations Update: Day 1 of Mediation

Both parties worked late last night and were able to come to an agreement on two articles. Collectively, we chose two articles both parties believed we could reasonably get through, and with assistance from the mediation team, we did. Those are Articles 3 and 17. 

• In Article 3 (Responsibilities), the Union was able to gain the ability to jointly develop merit raise criteria. This helps the Union to assist mechanics that are not first-class that display the skill to progress forward without having to wait for 1000 hrs.

• In Article 17 (Holidays), both parties ended by agreeing to no change. 

We are meeting again today in hopes of moving forward to a fair agreement.

United We’re One, Divided We’re Done.

In Solidarity,

Local S6 Negotiating Committee

Negotiations Update: 7/27/20

Jul 27, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Brothers and Sisters,

We are at the commencement of our sixth week on strike against Bath Iron Works. Questions surrounding the mediation process have come from many of you. Please allow us to explain, Local S6 spoke with FMCS mediators twice last week regarding returning to the table to resume negotiations for a fair contract for all of our members of Local S6, the irreplaceable skilled production workers of BIW. The only response from BIWs spokesperson was the company “remains fully engaged in the mediation process” and “when that process calls for the parties to return to the bargaining table and resume negotiations, we are prepared to do so.”

The whole point of this process is to get both parties back to the table as soon as possible. This is typical BIW PR that doesn’t accurately depict the intent of the process or the actual progress made. The mediator is supposed to get us back to the table which we are clearly prepared to do. We are prepared with additional options, plans, and proposals for increased job security and schedule recuperation to assist BIW.

The Union already knows that BIW has brought subcontractors into the shipyard and there are plans for a number of additional ones to enter the gates and scab out our work for a predetermined amount of time. This only gives hold to the theory that BIW has no intention of going back to the negotiating table anytime soon because of the contractual agreements with the subcontracts they are now employing. There is a clear and growing understanding across this state and country for that matter, that BIW’s last, best, and final proposal forced the members of Local S6 on strike. BIW will stop at nothing to subcontract our work, trying to starve us out, in an attempt to get what they don’t need. If BIW put as much effort into working collaboratively with us as they do with subbing our work out and watering down our skill sets with low paying jobs offers, we would be one of the leading assets in the shipbuilding industry.

How can BIW go from a shipyard that would send our members all over the world to now a shipyard that needs our own work subbed out for the very same reason, SKILL. How could BIW have delivered more than 30 DDG-51 Destroyers on schedule and now we can’t. I’m sure the company can come up with a litany of excuses, but the Local S6 is only interested in a fix.

In Solidarity, Local S6 Leadership

Negotiations Update- 7/21/20

Jul 21, 2020 | Local S6 Leadership Alerts, Negotiations

Brothers and Sister,

The Local S6 Negotiating Committee spoke with the Federal Mediator for around 2 ½ hours today, discussing several debatable topics. Understanding BIW gave the Union their position on a contract proposal in their last, best, and final, they are willing to consider Union proposals.

The Local S6 Negotiating Committee has been examining additional solutions to BIW proposals that do not violate seniority or subcontract our work. We suggested a meeting in person with BIW’S team, with the suggestion that BIW brings someone with production knowledge and a decision-maker. The Mediators’ will be video linked in due to travel restrictions if BIW is agreeable.

Nothing specific was discussed from the Company’s perspective due to the Mediator’s confidentiality agreements with both parties. We have consistently been ready and willing to get back to the bargaining table to negotiate a fair contract for our members. We want the State of Maine to prosper. We want to deliver the best built ships as always for the US Navy. We should be hearing something in the next few days as to the next step of the process. We are hopeful and anticipate some form of a meeting with BIW by next week.

In Solidarity,

Local S6 Negotiating Committee