Westinghouse Issues Lockout at Newington Facility

Westinghouse's Nuclear Components Manufacturing facility in Newington

Westinghouse Electric Company issued a lockout notice to 172 employees as a result of a stalemate in negotiations between the company and the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Shipbuilders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (the Boilermakers) at the Nuclear Components Manufacturing facility in Newington.

The lockout took effect May 21 at 11:59 p.m. Westinghouse will continue to operate the facility with non-represented Westinghouse employees and use alternate Westinghouse locations to continue production.

Westinghouse and the Boilermakers began formal negotiations in April for the workers' contract that expired April 30. The two parties continued discussions beyond the contract expiration, allowing work to continue under a 30-day extension to the existing contract. The Boilermakers and Westinghouse engaged in an unsuccessful mediation process and could not agree on terms for a new contract. 

In a statement released to WMUR, Tyler Brown, executive director of industrial sector operations for the Boilermakers, wrote, "The last collective bargaining agreement expired on April 30, 2017. The parties agreed to a 30-day contract extension, which the company terminated 9 days early...The company and the union have only had five negotiation sessions and one meeting with a mediator, which the company walked out on."

Michele DeWitt, interim senior VP, nuclear fuel & components manufacturing, says “Westinghouse put forth its best and final offer given the current very serious business conditions. As the Boilermakers were not willing to accept the offer, the company made the difficult decision to invoke a lockout. We are disappointed the union was unwilling to accept the fair offer presented to them but remain hopeful we will reach an agreement that is in the best interest of all parties.”

In his statement to WMUR, Brown added, "It's a tragedy that Westinghouse would lock out these loyal workers and, unnecessarily, place the workers, their families and the company's customers in this uncertain and difficult situation...Our members were and remain willing to work day to day while the contract negotiations continue so any product guaranteed to Westinghouse's customers does not have to be jeopardized; however, the company has rejected such proposals by the union and chose the harmful and drastic course of locking out their dedicated employees instead. Clearly, Westinghouse has not bargained in good faith, and we will be exploring all available recourses against the company, including filing unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board."