Solidarity on Display at Raytheon Picket Lines
December 5, 2006
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Fueled by determination to win a fair contract and resolved to hold the line on health care costs, members of Local 933 in Tucson, AZ are moving in to their fifth week of a strike against profit-rich Raytheon Missile Systems.
Despite a recent 41 percent increase in earnings per share, Raytheon’s contract offer would increase employee health care costs by 87 percent over the life of the agreement, and block new and rehired employees from participating in the company’s over-funded pension plan. More than 90 percent of Local 933 members rejected Raytheon’s offer.
“We tried to get an agreement with Raytheon, but this company was insistent on reducing the standard of living for the families of these workers even as the announced tremendous profits from their defense contracts,” said Local 933 DBR Bobby Martinez when the strike began.
