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Raytheon strikers due back on the job today


Published on Friday, January 19, 2007

After 76 days off their jobs, members of the International Association of Machinists Local 933 are due to return to work today (Jan. 22) at Raytheon Missile Systems. About 80 percent of 952 members who voted on the offer, agreed to accept it in a vote taken Jan. 13.

The new three-year contract set maximums up to 19 percent on increases employees would have to pay for medical benefits and doubled the $500 bonus employees will receive, intended to help offset the increased medical costs.

The contract covers about 1,900 hourly workers at Raytheon. Company officials said about one-third of the membership chose to continue working during the strike. The company continued to meet its production schedule n even exceeding it n by supplementing those who remained on the job with salaried personnel.

All of the employees who had been on strike were told to report last week to make arrangements for returning to work.

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