Civilians Workers At Vance Go On Strike

Staff and Wire Reports

ENID, Oklahoma -- Vance Air Force Base remained at a standstill Monday as more than 75 percent of the base's civilian workers were walking the picket lines.

The union workers decided to go on strike after midnight Monday after not being able to reach a deal with their employer.

Union workers voted Friday to decline the contract offer by CSC Applied Technologies.

The almost 800 civilian workers on strike are employed by CSC Applied Technologies, and many of their jobs support the base's air training mission.

Connie Collins has been a civilian worker here for the past 20 years and this is her first time striking.

"They want to have 62 take-aways this year," Collins said. "That's too many."

Take-aways are benefits such as paid time off, seniority, no pension raise and higher insurance costs.

Collins said she gets the feeling management wasn't listening to their employees.

"Hopefully they will hear us now," Collins said.

The Air Force said the strike is already having an effect on daily operations on the base.

"We look forward to a resolution," said 1st Lt. Agneta Murnan. "The Air Force position in situations like this...still one of neutrality."

Even Sen. Jim Inhofe traveled to Enid Sunday evening to try to get the two sides to reach a deal.

"All of our folks were here and available and CDC, you know, their big folks said they couldn't even get here," said Union Representative Bob Wood.

Local 898 president Rick Boardman says a proposal to change areas such as seniority has been the biggest sticking point in the negotiations.

CSC released the following statement:

"We have worked diligently for the past month to reach agreement with the IAMAW in these negotiations. We hope that our employees will accept our contract offer and return to work. "

"We're not getting huge raises or anything like that," Wood said. "They can keep the status quo as it is and everything's fine."

The workers said they will walk the picket lines until the impasse is resolved.

"I've been out here since 5:30 this morning," Collins said. "I'm still here. I will be here as long as it takes."

CSC said they will continue to operate on the base without the workers.

The workers are not paid while on strike. If the strike goes longer than three weeks, the union will start paying the workers $150 a week.