Contact: R.J. Hufnagel, rhufnagel@usw.org, 412-562-2450
The United Steelworkers (USW) said that approximately 250 members of Local 1449 were locked out of their jobs Monday by management at Collins Aerospace after only two weeks of bargaining.
USW District 8 Director Larry Ray called on the company, a division of Raytheon Technologies, to abandon its strategy of trying to bully union workers into accepting management’s demands and instead continue negotiating in good faith to reach a fair contract.
Ray said that USW members were looking forward to returning to the bargaining table when the company locked them out. Members have repeatedly asked the company to allow them to come back to work while they continue negotiations, but the company has refused.
“Collins Aerospace must be made accountable for its decision to hold our jobs, families and community hostage over issues that should be resolved through collective bargaining,” Ray said. “Management needs to end this lockout immediately, return these workers to their jobs and resolve our differences at the table.”
The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations.