FORT WORTH -- In a blow to the striking Machinists union, the National Labor Relations Board has ruled that Lockheed Martin officials did not violate any labor relations laws in the days just before and after the union went on strike in April.
The labor board's regional office in Fort Worth dismissed three unfair labor practice charges filed by the union that, in effect, asserted that Lockheed interfered with the union's ability to represent and negotiate for its members."We investigated and determined there was no merit to these three cases," Martha Kinard, regional director of the board, said late Friday.The union can appeal the ruling to board headquarters in Washington. Four other charges that have been filed, one of them Thursday, are under investigation.Member of Machinists District Lodge 776 voted overwhelmingly April 22 to reject the company's final contract offer and began what is now an eight-week strike. Union leaders recommended the strike because Lockheed's proposal would have eliminated a pension plan for new employees and three of five medical benefit plans.The union filed one unfair labor practice charge before the strike, complaining that Lockheed management tried to negotiate directly with employees by putting details of its final offer on its website. Another complaint was that the company was intimidating workers by maintaining surveillance of union headquarters on Clifford Street, across from the Lockheed plant.Lockheed spokesman Joe Stout said the company "is pleased with the determinations and we have always been confident this would be the outcome."Lockheed has "bargained in good faith with the IAM and we do not know of any company actions that would have led to a violation of the National Labor Relations Act or any other law," Stout said. "Our offer to the IAM was fair and competitive." A union spokesman did not return a reporter's phone call or e-mails Friday.Labor law experts have told the Star-Telegram that the union was likely filing the complaints to prop up members' support for the strike and also to gain a better bargaining position.If the labor board should rule against Lockheed, the union could try to convert the strike from one about economic issues to one about unfair labor practices.If that happened, it would limit Lockheed's ability to break the strike by threatening to hire permanent replacement workers. The company has not said that tactic is being considered, although it has brought in some temporary workers.Bob Cox, 817-390-7723Twitter: @bobcoxictHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
