BIW to begin labor negotiations early
Bath Iron Works has told the largest union at the shipyard that it wants to negotiate contract changes by the end of the year, instead of waiting until the current contract expires next spring.
The Associated Press reported that the Navy shipbuilder is looking to complete negotiations early to produce a competitive bid for Coast Guard offshore patrol cutters in March. The current contract with Machinists union Local S6 expires May 22.
The shipyard has invoked a clause in the current contract that allows for an early review of the next contract, the AP reported. It hopes to begin the first meetings with the union later this month.
But Local S6 President Jay Wadleigh told the AP that some of the changes being asked by BIW will make it difficult to reach an agreement by the end of the year.
Workers have been warned that BIW may lay off 20% of its workforce if it fails to win the contract for the Coast Guard cutters, a project that’s worth up to $10 billion.
BIW, a General Dynamics subsidiary, is one of the state’s top employers with more than 5,000 workers.
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