Maine Shipbuilders to March for U.S. Jobs

May 21, 2015 | By Business Wire News

BATH, Maine

International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local S-6, will march in solidarity for U.S. shipbuilding jobs today, Thursday, May 21, 2015, in Bath, ME.

Workers will be led by IAM Local S-6 President Jay Wadleigh, Local S-6 and IAM District 4 leadership. Family members, the Maine AFL-CIO and many other unions will participate in the demonstration that begins at the Bath Iron Works (BIW) South Gate on Washington Street to a rally at the Local S-6 Union Hall at 722 Washington St., Bath, ME 04530.

In April, BIW advised Local S-6 of their intent to circumvent the collective bargaining agreement to implement hundreds of changes to workers’ jobs and tasks, to include a so-called cross training procedure. The issue was a subject of negotiations in 2000, and a subsequent strike in which the IAM members prevailed.

“BIW is trying to gain outside of negotiations a subject of bargaining that these workers stood against, and won 15 years ago,” said Wadleigh. “Management filed for accelerated arbitration to get a decision outside of the negotiated and prescribed method, and they continue to violate other provisions they negotiated on a weekly basis. It’s the very definition of insanity. BIW continues to do the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

WHO:		IAM Local S-6
WHEN:		Thursday, May 21 at 11:35 a.m.
WHERE:		March to begin at the BIW South Gate on Washington Street.
		Workers will flood the street, marching to a rally at the Local S-6 Hall at 722 Washington, St., Bath, ME 04530

The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO, CLC (IAM) is one of the largest industrial trade unions in North America, representing nearly 600,000 active and retired members in dozens of industries. For additional information about the IAM, visit their website at www.goiam.org