Key Points
- Over 32,000 Boeing machinists are voting for the third time on a new contract to end the seven-week strike.
- The new contract offers a 38% wage increase over four years, compared to the proposed 35%.
- The union encouraged workers to accept this deal, warning that it may be the best possible offer.
- Boeing raised over $20 billion to sustain the company during the strike and other operational challenges.
Over 32,000 Boeing machinists are set to vote Monday on a new contract proposal that could end a seven-week strike disrupting the company’s airplane production. This is the third vote on a contract for the machinists, whose work stoppage has slowed Boeing’s efforts to turn around production challenges.
The revised proposal offers a 38% pay increase over four years, an improvement from Boeing’s previous offer of 35%, which the union rejected last month. The initial deal that sparked the strike in September included a 25% raise, with the union originally advocating for a 40% increase. By the end of the four-year term, the average machinist’s salary would reach approximately $119,309.
The cost of living in Seattle, where most of Boeing’s aircraft are produced, has been a central issue among workers. Rising expenses have fueled workers’ demands for more significant wage increases. However, the union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 751, indicated last week that this latest offer might be the best available, urging workers to consider the risks of rejecting it.
“In every negotiation and strike, there is a point where we have extracted everything that we can in bargaining and by withholding our labor,” the union said. “We are at that point now and risk a regressive or lesser offer in the future.” On Saturday, the union advised members to view the proposal as a victory, calling them to “lock in these gains and work to build more in future negotiations.”
New Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who took office in August, has also urged machinists to accept the contract. Ortberg acknowledged the toll of the strike on employees, customers, suppliers, and local communities, emphasizing the need to resume production and rebuild the business. “It’s time we all come back together and focus on rebuilding the business and delivering the world’s best airplanes,” he told staff.
Boeing has raised over $20 billion to support its operations during this challenging period, including the strike’s impact. The voting outcome could significantly influence Boeing’s production capabilities, relationship with its workforce, and future labor negotiations.
