Lockheed Union Considers Strike Vote Today

1. Leaders of a local machinist union oppose a recent three-year contract proposed by Lockheed Martin and have urged 3,500 employees to consider a strike. These members of Local 709 of the International Association of Machinists will conduct a series of votes today.

The first vote, which requires only a simple majority, will determine if the union will reject a three-year collective bargaining agreement between the union and Lockheed Martin. At issue are retirement benefits, according to this article in the Marietta Daily Journal.

Should the union reject the contract, it would then consider a strike, which requires a two-thirds majority of the union membership. The union went on strike in 2002 for 44 days and in 2005 for a week before reaching contract deals. A contract was approved in 2008 before the union went on strike.

If the union approves the strike, it would begin at 12:01 a.m. Monday, the time when the current contract expires.

2. A government delegation from Beijing, China, last week swept through Marietta as part of a U.S. visit that also include Georgia state offices, the United Nations in New York and several Washington, D.C., offices. During the Marietta portion of the trip, 22 members of the delegation visited a variety of city department offices, the Earl Smith Strand Theatre, the and the Marietta History Museum.

3. Pipes and more pipes at , 161 Church St. An interesting concert blending the bagpipes of Winter Taylor and friends with the pipe organ played by Steven Schneider. The concert at 5 p.m. is free. For information, visit the church's Web site or call 770-428-5841.

4. Pay no attention to the man with the gun on top of the parking garage. Students from will wrap up shooting of a movie on Marietta Square today. The film includes scene of a sniper on top of the Cobb County Parking Deck on Cherokee Street, but no shots will be fired.

5. Time to head to the confessional as Shrovetide begins today. Shrovetide generally describes the three days before Ash Wednesday, the first official day of Lent, which is the season of fasting and prayer leading up to Easter. The days are for atonement, but they have also been viewed as a final few days of feasting before engaging in a month-long or so fast.