BATH — Negotiating committees from Bath Iron Works and Local S6 of the Machinists union have reached a tentative agreement for a new fouryear contract.
More than 3,000 production and maintenance mechanics represented by the union are slated to consider ratifying the proposed contract at the Augusta Civic Center on Sunday, the day the current fouryear contract expires.
Local S6 president Dan Dowling declined today to discuss specific terms of the proposed contract until union leadership shares them with members on Sunday.
But he said the negotiating committee will recommend that members ratify the agreement.
On Thursday, BIW spokesman Jim DeMartini said company officials are pleased the two negotiating teams had reached a tentative agreement.
“We believe this is a fair and equitable offer which provides competitive wages and benefits to our employees while placing the company in a good position to compete for future shipbuilding contracts,” he said.
Should union members vote to reject the offer, a separate procedural vote would be held to consider a strike, which Dowling said would begin at midnight Sunday, when the current contract expires.
The last strike occurred in 2000, and lasted for about seven weeks, he said.
“Strikes are the last resort in any type of negotiation,” Dowling said. “The majority of the members have been through a strike at least once, and a minority of them through two or more strikes. They know how to evaluate the situation and weigh the pros and cons, and they will decide accordingly. It’s up to the members what they want to do.”
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