Published 10 Jul, 2012
Fire Fighters Picketing at Kennedy Space Center
Hours 5:30am to 7:30am & 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm Weekdays
Contact: Kevin Smith President, TWU Local 525
Phone: 321-514-2452, TWU525@cfl.rr.com
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL, JULY 9TH, 2012 – Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 525 will engage in informational picketing at the Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County, Florida, beginning July 11th, 2012. The TWU is the Union that represents Fire-Rescue Personnel who work at the Kennedy Space Center. These Fire-Rescue workers are employed by a new government contractor named “G4S GS”, formerly known as “Wackenhut”. G4S GS was recently awarded the contract with NASA to provide fire-rescue services at the Kennedy Space Center.
In March of 2012, Local 525 and G4S GS began contract negotiations for the wages and benefits of fire-rescue personnel who have served KSC for many years. The Firefighters bargaining objective was to merely continue the existing contract with the hope of a small wage increase. Since then, the Union’s latest proposal to the Company was for zero increases in wages and benefits, only to keep their current benefits intact. However, G4S GS insists on cutting over 20% of the incomes and retirement benefits of the Firefighters, Paramedics and Inspector’s who live, work and spend their hard earned income in our community.
During negotiations, the Firefighters offered numerous concessions, but the Company has insisted on these cuts along with doubling the employees’ insurance costs. TWU President Kevin Smith says that “G4S GS knew about the longstanding wages and benefits when they bid on the contract with NASA, and it is unfair for them to claim, after underbidding their competitors, that they now need to make these cuts in order to make a profit. That is unfair to the firefighters and to the economic well being of our community.”
If what G4S GS tells us is true, NASA should have known full well that the figure in which G4S GS bid for the Protective Services Contract would not be sufficient to maintain the Fire Department without huge concessions by the work-force. Together both G4S GS and NASA are treating the Firemen unfairly.
The Union is not asking that any individual employed by any employer to refrain from picking up, delivering, or transporting goods to and from the Kennedy Space Center or from performing any services for any employer.