UAW workers approve new contract, ending month-long strike at Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin workers in Orlando and Denver have approved a new five-year contract, putting an end to a month-long strike that involved over 900 employees at the defense and aerospace company.

Brandon Campbell, director of UAW Region 4, stated, “This was a challenging battle. Lockheed was adamant about holding onto every dollar of the $24 billion it earned in the past three years. However, UAW members stood firm to secure their fair share of the profits. This sets a new standard for workers across the board.”

Under the terms of the new agreement, employees will see pay increases averaging 19.3%, with the wage floor for new hires increasing from the initially proposed $15 per hour to $20 per hour. The time it takes for workers to reach the top of the pay scale will be reduced, with annual wage increases per year of service set at $1 or higher, compared to the previous offer of 60 cents.

The strike began on May 1 after workers rejected a proposed contract that had been in negotiation since March. The workers, including those at Lockheed’s Waterton Canyon campus in Jefferson County, took to the picket lines.

The strike involved workers from Lockheed’s Space and Missiles and Fire Control (MFC) divisions, represented by the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Local 788 in Orlando and Local 766 in Denver.