Business: Raytheon negotiating contract

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Raytheon negotiating contract

The talks affect about 400 unionized workers in Pinellas County.

By Kris Hundley, Times Staff Writer
Published March 22, 2007

Representatives of about 400 unionized workers at Raytheon's Pinellas County operations this week began negotiating with company officials for a new contract.

Raytheon, which has about 1,700 workers in Largo and St. Petersburg, declined to comment on the talks toward replacing an agreement that expires April 15. But Dave Ware, a negotiator with United Auto Workers Local 298, said the company has asked for a number of concessions.

"Raytheon wants to increase the cost of benefits to workers," said Ware, whose group represents production and maintenance employees. "And they want more flexibility in job assignments. The company is also going after eliminating seniority as a consideration when they make a reduction in work force. They contend they'll be fair and equitable, but we haven't found them fair and equitable."

The negotiations at Raytheon's local Network Centric Systems come about two months after the giant defense contractor ended a 10-week strike at its plant in Tucson, Ariz. About 1,900 hourly workers at Raytheon's missile unit, members of the International Association of Machinists Local 933, returned to work after the company threatened to bring in replacements. Their new contract included 3 percent raises over three years and a $1,000 bonus per worker, but employees could pay more for health care.

Ware said the Tucson strike sent a message to Raytheon, which had 2006 earnings of $1.3-billion.

"You can't make profits on the backs of workers," he said. "Just because you make a proposal doesn't mean we have to take it."

Kris Hundley can be reached at 727 892-2996 or hundley@sptimes.com.

[Last modified March 21, 2007, 22:25:54]

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by i am special	03/22/07 11:38 PM
JJ, I work in the defense industry,(hourly) and I am a union member, we have a CBA contract with our company. However, both parties need to work it out. I agree the workers need protection

by JJ	03/22/07 05:09 PM
Hey special and Tony, if you don't work there as an hourly employee than you don't have any idea what you talking about. If you do, you must be some of the freeloaders that ride on the union back. Stop being afraid and stand up for right to negotiate

by Jeff	03/22/07 04:52 PM
Did the cost of the Non-Union employees benefits increase? If so, then fair and equitable would apply, wouldn't it? I happen to know they did.

by i am special	03/22/07 04:41 PM
Your union is in name only, Raytheon can go out and hire cleared personnel and replace those who don't want to accept their terms. It is what it is, also expect defense contracts to be cut and down sized with the rest of the country.

by Lisa	03/22/07 04:04 PM
U.S. workers (union and non-union) are the most productive in the world. We work longer hours, and take fewer vacations than any other developed nation on the planet. Is a lower benefit package and a decent annual raise really too much to expect?

by Tony	03/22/07 03:02 PM
If you ask me, the person who reported this story to the paper should be fired for commenting on ongoing negotiations. It's a SHAME it's come to involving the media to try and sway peoples' opinion about their company while talks have just started!!

by Anthony	03/22/07 12:28 PM
Taking seniority from a Union, is unheard of. The foundation of Unions is seniority. This is how we operate. Are we being forced into a strike at Mr. C. W.Young's Star Center? Is Raytheon Not the Employer of choice anymore? Doesn't sound fair.

by Melinda	03/22/07 12:23 PM
Workers must bite the bullet and accept higher benefit costs and lower raises if CEO's and Execs are to be fairly compensated.

by Tom	03/22/07 12:08 PM
This looks like another dumb move by Raytheon. $1.3-billion can't be enough for the truely greedy.

by Doug	03/22/07 11:38 AM
Share the wealth and also the pain. If a company loses money, wages and benifits should drop accordingly.

by Rick	03/22/07 11:32 AM
With gas prices going up over 71% since last time this contract was negociated and everything up going up because of gas prices employees should be able to expect a decent increase in pay 3% or 4% is not unreasonable. We can't pay bills with sunshine

by robert	03/22/07 08:49 AM
I was under a union contract for my RR career, the reason for the union is that employers do not know how to be fair and equitable.

by STEVE	03/22/07 08:46 AM
I THINK THAT LARGE CORPORATIONS THAT ARE MAKING RECORD PROFITS SUCH AS RAYTHEON SHOULD TREAT THERE WORKERS WITH A FAIR SHAKE, NOT REDUCE THEIR BENEFITS AND PAY,BECAUSE THE END RESULT IS THE WORKERS PAY DOESN'T EVEN STAY UP WITH INFLATION.