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WASHINGTON, June 22, 2020 – Robert Martinez Jr., International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) issued the following statement on the strike of more than 4,300 IAM Local S6 members in Bath, Maine:
“More than 600,000 Fighting Machinists from across North America send solidarity to the hardworking men and women of IAM Local S6. These families have our unwavering support as they stand up for justice and dignity on the job. Any and all of our union’s resources are being deployed to assist our membership at Local S6 as they bravely take on this employer.
“This strike is about more than wages and benefits. It is about working people having a voice in their futures and taking a stand for their families and the state of Maine. Despite our repeated warnings to the management of Bath Iron Works, this employer has continued to take taxpayer dollars and outsource good Maine jobs to out-of-state contractors. The company is engaged in flat-out union-busting, and is exploiting the current pandemic to attempt to outsource work from its dedicated employees, who are risking their health to build ships that protect our national security. I salute our membership, who were left with no choice but to strike to defend the livelihoods of themselves, their families and their communities.
“For generations, our members at Local S6 in Bath have proudly built the military ships that keep our servicemen and women safe. They are the reason why ‘Bath Built is Best Built.’ We simply ask that management recognize the sacrifices our members have made, and work with us to find a solution that promotes the well-being of our membership, their families and the entire state of Maine.”
IAM Local S6 represents more than 4,300 members at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents approximately 600,000 active and retired members across North America in the shipbuilding, aerospace, airlines, defense, transportation, railroad, manufacturing, woodworking, federal sector and other industries. For more information, visit goIAM.org.
