Five weeks into a strike by some 3,600 Machinists union members, Lockheed Martin officials insist that they are making progress maintaining production and testing on the all-important F-35 joint strike fighter program.
Surprisingly good progress, Lockheed officials say. In some cases better than expected.Drawing on the ranks of supervisors, managers and engineers, many with experience in the factory or at lease close familiarity with the processes, Lockheed has been able to keep production going."Our least-productive week was the first one," said Robert Powell, director of F-35 production. "It's improved every week since."Powell and other Lockheed managers escorted a Star-Telegram reporter through the assembly plant and the flight line last week.Their purpose was to show that the strike by union workers, which began April 23, has certainly not shut the factory down.Slowed it down in some cases, Lockheed officials concede, but in other areas they say work is exceeding the pre-strike pace.Lockheed and union officials said Tuesday that an end to the strike isn't imminent.No formal negotiations are scheduled.A year ago, Lockheed officials began developing a contingency plan in case of a strike, standard procedure in contract negotiation years.Salaried personnel were surveyed for experience and skills that could be put to use."We're very fortunate that a lot of these people have done this work before. It's in their blood," said Marc Lauderdale, vice president of production operations."They may have never touched the airplane or built it [before], but they're doing a great job"Training was provided to bring employees up to certification standards for the jobs, government-mandated requirements aimed at maintaining quality.About 1,700 salaried personnel were assigned to other jobs, enough to work one shift -- albeit a 12-hour shift most days. The plant normally operates two shifts a day.Airplanes are being assembled. Two have been rolled out of the factory to the fuel test area since the strike began. Three planes have been delivered to the government, and four more are ready to go pending final approval by the Defense Contract Management Agency.A lot of that work was clearly done or nearly complete before the strike. But in the plant the scene isn't much different from the last time a reporter was shown around months before.Lockheed employees are on platforms and underneath planes, sometimes only their legs visible, as they install and test components.Each of the mating stations, where major subassemblies of the aircraft are joined, is full. Planes are moving from station to station once every 10-plus days, Lockheed officials said, compared with about every eight days before the strike.On the flight line, 20 planes are in the various stages of testing and checkout that occur before and after test flights.Since the strike began, 43 engine run test events have been completed, doubling the pre-strike rate. A total of 21 test flights have been completed, comparable to the pre-strike effort.Lockheed employees interviewed independently by the Star-Telegram confirm that progress is being made.They say workers are enjoying the change from their normal jobs, if not the long hours.They are identifying ways to improve the work flow that will speed up production and cut costs once the Machinists return.That doesn't surprise union leader Paul Black, a veteran of more than 30 years at the Lockheed plant."Our people have been telling them that for a long time. Management just doesn't listen to us," said Black, president of District Lodge 776 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.The union leader said some work is undoubtedly being done.The question, he said, is what will have to be redone after the strike."Historically, when we've been on strike before ... it takes time for us to fix and repair the damage that has been done by people who don't do that job every day."If Lockheed wants to lower costs, Black said, it should work with union members to improve efficiency and cut waste rather than trying to cut health and pension benefits.Powell, the F-35 production chief, said the union workers will be welcomed when the strike is over."We value our work force, and we'd love to have them back," he said.Bob Cox, 817-390-7723Twitter: @bobcoxict