Posted on: Friday, November 5, 2004

Raytheon locks out 7 workers at Pearl

By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer

A group of Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems workers who walked off the job Monday in a labor dispute have been locked out from their jobs at the West Loch Naval Installation.

A mediation session is scheduled today between Raytheon officials and representatives of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers who represent the seven employees.

"We want to work cooperatively with the company and we have reasonable demands," said Maria Santiago Lillis, the union's grand lodge representative. "But we are looking at another unfair labor practices charge for retaliating against the workers to lock them out while doing protected activity."

Raytheon spokesman Guy Shields, speaking from the company's Massachusetts headquarters, said officials decided to lock out the union workers because they feared possible disruptions during a Navy review of the company's processes this week. The workers refurbish Navy torpedoes at the West Loch facility.

"Right now there's a certification board that's very important to the Navy and the company," Shields said. "Not knowing what these seven out of 68 employees would do, we really had no choice but to lock them out. "

The union members, who are seeking their first contract with Raytheon, walked off the job out of frustration over stalled negotiations and over proposed wage cuts. An eighth union member quit last Friday because of the labor situation, Lillis said.

Shields said the company's proposal would raise salaries for four workers and cut pay for four others.

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8085.