May 7, 2025 Last Surviving 1963 Lockheed Striker Joins Local 788 on The Picket Line Local 788 continues on strike at Lockheed in Florida. On Tuesday May 6, 2025 the folks on the line had a special visitor. Johnny Scarborough is the last remaining survivor from the original 1963 UAW strike on Lockheed Martin (Martin Marietta at the time). Brother Scarborough is a staunch unionist who attends as many union activities as possible. Pictured is Johnny proudly manning the picket line with his brothers and sisters.
May 5, 2025 Director Smith Joins Lockheed Members On The Picket Line UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith joined Local 788 members today on the picket line in Orlando, Florida. Director Smith was joined by Assistant Director George Palmer, Jr., Educational Rep David Firkins and Servicing Rep Craig Stout.

May 1, 2025
UAW Members Strike at Lockheed Martin, as Company Announces $1.7 Billion in First Quarter Profits 

Detroit, MI -- After months of negotiations, over 900 UAW members in Orlando, FL (Local 788) and Denver, CO (Local 766) have walked out on strike at Lockheed Martin, after the company committed multiple unfair labor practices and refused to present a fair economic proposal that meets the membership’s needs. 

The strike begins during a time of record taxpayer-funded profits for the U.S. government’s largest defense contractor. Lockheed Martin made $24 billion in profit and paid its CEO $66 million over the last three years. Profits were up the first quarter of 2025, with Lockheed taking in another $1.7 billion. These mind-boggling profits aren’t going anywhere: the Trump administration is positioned to deliver a more than $1 trillion defense budget in 2025.  

While Lockheed rakes in billions in taxpayer dollars, they are refusing to deal adequately with the union’s main demands. Under their latest offer, workers at Lockheed would work between 16 and 23 years to reach top rate for most pay classifications. Over 80% of the UAW workforce would remain in an unfair, extremely long pay progression. Even worse, the company is proposing a measly starting rate of $15 per hour. Lockheed is also refusing to recognize Veterans Day as a holiday, an insult to all UAW members who have proudly served this country. 

“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,” said UAW Region 4 Director Brandon Campbell. “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.” 

“UAW members at Lockheed Martin voted 99.3 percent in favor of authorizing a strike” said UAW Region 8 Director Tim Smith. “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 striking Lockheed Martin workers are not the only UAW members in the defense sector standing up to billionaire class greed. Thousands of UAW marine drafters in Groton, CT are fighting for a fair contract, while General Dynamics, like Lockheed, makes billions from government contracts. 

All information contained with the Region 8 Web Site is copyrighted© by UAW Region 8. It cannot be reused or printed without written consent from UAW Region 8. All rights reserved.