First woman to head Lockheed Martin union

Denise Rakestraw, a 51-year-old great grandmother who has worked at Lockheed Martin for nearly three decades, is the first woman to lead the union that represents the airplane builders in Marietta.

Rakestraw assumes the presidency of Local 709, International Association of Machinists, at Saturday’s oath-taking ceremony at the union hall on South Marietta Parkway. She was elected Dec. 2 and replaces Jeff Goen, who died unexpectedly in late October. Some Lockheed Martin employees in Marietta have been unionized since 1951.

Rakestraw represents 2,700 dues-paying members who work at the massive airplane factory and its credit union in Cobb County, along with another 2,200 retirees.

A Marietta High School graduate who lives in Powder Springs, Rakestraw helped build the C-130J before union work took full-time precedence. She served most recently as a business representative for the local, helping members with grievances against Lockheed Martin management.

Rakestraw, who’ll make about $92,000 a year, faces big challenges. Congress recently capped production of the F-22 jet fighter, a Marietta mainstay. Lockheed Martin, though, says the C-130J, F-35 and other aircraft should fill the F-22 void.

Efforts to unionize Delta-Northwest employees, and contract negotiations next year, will also occupy Rakestraw’s time.

She spoke with the AJC this week:

Q: Ok, let's get this out of the way. Any special significance in becoming the first woman to head up the union?

A: Not really. I just felt like I needed to step up and take care of this membership and this local. That's why I ran. I didn't make a lot of promises because what we do here is try to hold on to all the benefits we have and expand those whenever we can and assure that everybody is treated with positive regard on the job. That's the key to having a satisfied work force.

Q: Any additional pressures that a male president wouldn't face?

A: Not any more than women have always had to do. They've always had to work hard to prove themselves. It's just the way it is.

Q: And everybody behaved themselves during the election?

A: I heard some jokes about painting the walls pink, but I just had a little fun with it. The IAM is a very progressive union and (my election) is evidence of that.

Q: At age 22, as a single mom, you came to work at Lockheed Martin. That must have been tough. (Rakestraw later remarried and became a great grandmother via her husband Billy's children.)

A: I was very, very proud to have that job because I needed to support my children and I did. But building airplanes is really fun. It's real easy to take pride in building a craft that flies through the air. My brothers were both in the Air Force and that made it kind of personal. The C-130 moves the military. I feel like I'm a part-owner in the C-130.

Q: Has assembly-line work changed much since 1980?

A: It's changed a lot and for the better. Technology has changed. The culture has changed. We're all a little more kind, gentler and a little more politically correct – that's a good thing. We recognize peoples' feelings, opinions and attitudes and that just makes the workplace a much more pleasant experience.

Q: How will the lingering bad economic times impact your job?

A: There's a lot of people out there looking for jobs. They call and say, 'Help me get a job there.' The number of calls is up a lot since last year. I know the company has tons of resumes and there are some jobs available. Jobs are the number one issue in the nation.

Q: Your last contract was negotiated in March 2008. Are you pleased with it?

A: It's excellent. It was a good increase in retirement pay, a general wage increase and, all around, just a good contract.

Q: The contract is up in 2011. What will you focus on?