Local Lodges at Cape Canaveral AFS, FL, Decatur, AL and Vandenberg AFB, CA are preparing for tough negotiations with the United Launch Alliance. The 900 IAM members build, maintain and launch Atlas and Delta rockets that lift U.S. space vehicles.
The Local Negotiating Committees met at the William W. Winpisinger Center to train, plan and build negotiating strategies for the upcoming talks. The Center’s week-long Negotiation Preparation for Bargaining Committees class fit the bill for the Committee, providing training in proposal analysis, labor law and collective bargaining tactics.
The week culminated in a negotiations simulation. “It doesn’t seem like a simulation,” said Business Representative Nick Mrdjenovich. “It’s tough, and you feel the same as you do in actual negotiations. It’s quite realistic.”
Winpisinger Center Director Chris Wagoner filled the role of company representative.
“The newly-elected members of the Committee now have a feel for what it’s like at the table,” said Aerospace Coordinator John Crowdis. “The Committee developed a plan and strategy for these negotiations during our week at the Harbor, and we’re ready for these important negotiations.”
