In response to previously reported COVID-19 F-35 supplier delays, Lockheed Martin say they are taking proactive measures to mitigate impact.
The firm say their aim is to position the programme for the fastest possible recovery by adjusting work schedules, maintaining specialised employee skillsets, and accelerating payments to small and vulnerable suppliers, to continue meeting customer commitments.
Earlier in the week, the firm said:
“Today Lockheed Martin and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) agreed to a temporary alternate work schedule for F-35 production line employees in Fort Worth to maintain their skilled workforce. The new schedule, which will begin May 23, divides each shift into three groups. On a rotation, each group will work for two weeks and then will have a week off. During the adjusted three-week work schedule, employees who work 96 hours or more will be compensated an additional 24 hours for their off week while receiving full pay and benefits.
The alternate schedule allows Lockheed Martin to staff the production line to meet a slower workflow resulting from supplier delays. In addition, it provides a work rhythm that retains the expertise of the talented workforce and provides opportunities to adjust work to better support production.”
“These are challenging times, but managing tough challenges is when the F-35 program performs at its best. The alternate work schedule maintains the specialized skillset of the employees and provides opportunities to for us to adjust our workflow to account for supplier delays due to COVID-19,” said Aeronautics Executive Vice President Michele Evans.
“Our F-35 workforce is the best in the world at what they do, and we will continue to deliver on our customer’s mission.”
Lockheed Martin add that the temporary alternate work schedule agreement will continue for its first three-week cycle. The company will then evaluate business needs and can alter the schedule as needed with the option to discontinue as warranted or continue until Sept. 4.
Lockheed Martin have also agreed to allow employees to volunteer to be furloughed for 30 days where they maintain their benefits but forgo pay during this period.
I suspect the MOD is cursing this, as it would have given everyone the perfect opportunity/excuse to delay the buy rate further, which is going to have to happen with the finances of the country as they currently are.
Im not sure I personally would trust a plane built by someone doing more than twice the legal weekly work hours…
This is the US where you can be laid off with a days notice and a rather large percentage of the country was recently, the rights of the worker are pretty much ignored there, which i never will understand as the workers massively out number the rich.
I guess I missed the right not to be laid off in that unwritten British constitution. Or did all of those British jobless claims just never happen? Wait until August when British employers will be asked to cover part of the costs of all those employees effectively on the government payroll. That’s about the time the US economy starts to roar back and all of those Americans drawing unemployment insurance go back to work.
Pretty much everyone in the EU have at least 4 months notice period and legally required holiday days. Still not great in this type of period but way better than a days notice.
The US unemployment figures are stunning compared to the EU, yeah the rates will get closer but at least there is a delay.
Two weeks of 8 hour 6 days a week is excessive?
The picture above shows radar reflective tiles! I suppose they know what they are doing but I would have thought they would keep this stuff restricted.