Thirty-two IAM members who work at Skookum in New Mexico voted in favor of their first collective bargaining agreement on July 26, 2012, with negotiations taking nearly nine months to complete.
Skookum is an Ability 1 Company that performs maintenance work for the US Army at White Sands Missile Range. In order to be classified as an Ability 1 Company, 75 percent of the company’s workforce must be classified as having a disability.
“Jay Jaramillo, the newly-elected Directing Business Representative of Local Lodge 2515, and the bargaining committee did a fine job in negotiating this first contract,” said Western Territory GVP Gary Allen. “It is truly an honor to represent the workers at Skookum. The US Army can count on our members to perform their jobs with dignity, strength, and courage day in and day out.”
“I would personally like to thank Ruel Worthing and Steve Santacroe for their work on the bargaining committee,” said Jaramillo. “We could not have done it without their hard work and dedication, and the strong support of the membership.”
