After negotiations stalled, more than 900 United Auto Workers (UAW) members, part of the Local 788 in Orlando, Florida, and Local 766 in Denver, Colorado, commenced a strike against Lockheed Martin. The action follows alleged unfair labor practices by the company and a refusal to propose an economic plan that aligns with the workers’ expectations.
The strike aligns with a period of substantial profits for Lockheed Martin, the leading U.S. defense contractor. Over the last three years, Lockheed Martin has reported $24 billion in profits and paid its CEO $66 million. The first quarter of 2025 witnessed another $1.7 billion in profits for the company. The Trump administration’s anticipated $1 trillion defense budget this year suggests sustained financial success for Lockheed Martin.
Despite these earnings, Lockheed Martin has not satisfactorily addressed the union’s primary issues. In the company’s current offer, most workers would need 16 to 23 years to achieve the top pay grade. Moreover, over 80% of the UAW workforce would endure a long pay progression. The initial pay rate proposed by the company stands at $15 per hour. Furthermore, the refusal to recognize Veterans Day as a holiday has been called an affront to UAW members with military service.
UAW Region 4 Director Brandon Campbell remarked, “Lockheed’s workers have to wait years and even decades before seeing a comfortable standard of living, while its executives are swimming in taxpayer dollars.” He further commented, “Lockheed is a textbook example of corporate greed and I’m proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our members as they fight for their fair share.”
Echoing the workers’ sentiment, UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith stated, “UAW members at Lockheed Martin voted 99.3% in favor of authorizing a strike. We are standing together in solidarity, and we will have each other’s backs until we get a fair contract. Who are we? UAW!”
The Lockheed Martin workforce isn’t alone. UAW marine drafters in Groton, Connecticut, are also seeking equitable contracts amid a profitable period for other defense entities like General Dynamics, which similarly benefit from significant government contracts.
