BIW, machinists union reach tentative contract agreement to end strike

Photo / William Hall Hours after they walked off their jobs on the morning of June 22, striking BIW workers line Washington Street in Bath, across from the shipyard gates and in front of the machinists union hall, in the background at right.

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By William Hall

Bath Iron Works and its largest labor union on Friday reached a tentative agreement for a new contract, potentially ending the seven-week strike at the shipyard by over 4,000 workers.

The International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers Local S6 launched the walkout June 22 after the previous contract expired and members voted overwhelmingly to reject a new one offered by the yard’s owner, Virginia-based defense contractor General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE: GD).

If ratified by the local’s 4,300 members in a vote slated for Aug. 21-23, Friday’s agreement would phase out some of BIW’s current subcontracting and restrict it to previous limits — a sticking point in the contract negotiations. Union members would also continue to receive seniority protections and would get continued benefits and a 3% yearly bump in wages.

Discussions previously had seemed to reach a stalemate, with both sides saying they were open to an agreement but little progress being made. In July, BIW filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board that the union was threatening members who returned to work. A week later, Local S6 appealed for help from the secretary of the U.S. Navy, the yard’s primary customer. Federal mediators and President Donald Trump’s director of trade and manufacturing policy, Peter Navarro, have also interceded.

“This process was emotional, difficult, and frustrating for both parties,” Local S6 said on its Facebook page over the weekend.

But the union, BIW and others expressed satisfaction with the outcome.

“We worked hand-in-hand with the union negotiating committee to ensure that we addressed the concerns of our valued employees,” BIW President Dirk Lesko said in a statement. “We are hopeful they will return to work soon so we can get on with our important mission of building ships for the U.S. Navy.”

In its own statement, the local added: “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.”

U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, also commented: “News of a tentative agreement is a positive development for the incredibly skilled workers at the shipyard who build the best ships in the world and are an essential asset to the Navy and thus our national security.”

The local’s members, who represent about two-thirds of BIW’s workforce, will vote on the agreement online and by phone.

If it ends as expected following the vote, the strike will have lasted 62 days, surpassing the 55 days of the local’s last strike, in 2000. The union said it is now cooperating with BIW to finalize and release a plan for returning to work.