Understanding Strikes

It is your lawful right to choose to join a strike or come to work. All IAM-represented employees have the right to participate in a strike and have an equal right to not participate and continue to work.

Everyone has a lawful right to choose to join a strike or choose to come to work. Our IAM-represented employees have the right to participate in a strike. They also have an equal right to not participate and continue to work. Through our contingency plan, we will be open for those employees who wish to work. The decision is yours to make and Solar Turbines will not interfere with your decision.

• If you choose to cross the picket line while remaining a member of the union, you are subject to its bylaws and internal procedures. The IAM may seek to fine you for exercising your right to work. By resigning your membership prior to returning to work, you may avoid this action by the IAM.
• Employees who are non-members or who have resigned their membership prior to returning to work are not subject to the union’s bylaws and internal procedures.

• Pay: You will not receive any wages from Solar Turbines. You may be eligible for a small strike stipend from the IAM provided you meet their eligibility requirements.
• Unemployment: In California, you are not eligible for unemployment insurance benefits during a period of strike.
• SIP: Your SIP payment is based on actual hours worked.  Days missed due to a strike will reduce your actual hours worked and will reduce your SIP payments.
• Overtime: In addition to losing wages for missed regular schedules, employees will miss the opportunity for overtime at premium pay.
• Retirement: 401K contributions – by you and Caterpillar – are stopped.
• Healthcare: Your healthcare benefits will be terminated.  When medical benefits are terminated, you will be given the option to enroll in COBRA coverage. The cost of COBRA is 102% of the full group rate (not your employee premium) per individual who chooses COBRA.

A Machinist at the top of the rate, who is working 8 hours of overtime per week could lose nearly $2,000 per week after strike pay, in addition to the above benefit losses. A four-month (16-week) strike could cost over $30,000 in addition to impacting 401k match loss and potential healthcare loss.

We aim to reach an agreement that positions Solar, our facilities and our employees
to compete, meet customer commitments and succeed long into the future.