Local writer calls out Lockheed's Fort Worth "gravy train"

I called Bills yesterday to find out how the community has reacted to such criticisms.

Bills says he's not "terribly bashful about saying things". He says the working habits at "places like Bell Helicopter and Lockheed Martin" have been the same and well-known in the community for many years. The most annoying part about it, for him, is that the workers are "mostly conservative Republicans ... and it's just very hypocritical to me".

"I am getting a lot of bad feedback. I didn't know the union is coming up for contract negotiations in two weeks. The editor has said watch your back because they are p-----," Bills said.

Bills freely admits it's been several years since he's walked inside the Fort Worth factory. But he has several friends who continue to work at the plant, and they tell him things are still the same.

"When I was out there it was a joke. You have to take two breaks. It's hard to get anything done. My experience was I saw working up high in the plant and looking out in the plant ... people are asleep in fuselages. And, you know what, they don't even deny it. I've gotten notes today from employees, and they just asked, 'Did you ask him if it was his break time'? They know. And same thing with the dominos. They'll just tell you, 'Sometimes we have to wait on material.' Sometimes there is that. And there are hard working people out there. But there's a lot of goofing off.

"It's a legitimate gripe as a taxpayer."