SEATTLE- American Aerospace giant Boeing and its machinists’ union workers reached a new offer aimed at increasing pay and potentially ending a nearly seven-week strike, with union members set to vote on the proposal Monday (November 4, 2024).
The union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 751, recommended that workers approve the contract, stating Thursday that they had secured as many concessions as possible through bargaining and the strike.
Boeing Workers on Strike: New Contract
“We are at that point now and risk a regressive or lesser offer in the future,” the union stated, adding that extending the strike would no longer be beneficial given the gains achieved.
More than 32,000 Boeing machinists, primarily based in the Seattle area, initiated the strike on September 13 after rejecting a previous tentative agreement. The strike continued when they turned down a revised offer earlier in the month.
The new proposal includes a 38% general wage increase over four years—an increase from the prior offer of 35%—which would bring cumulative pay raises close to 44%, the union reported.
Furthermore, the offer allows workers to select between a $12,000 ratification bonus or a combination of a $7,000 bonus and a $5,000 401(k) contribution.
Official Remarks
Boeing announced Thursday that the new contract would raise the average machinist’s pay to $119,309 by the end of the term.
In a statement, Boeing urged all employees to review the updated proposal and vote on Monday, November 4. CEO Kelly Ortberg, in his first earnings call since assuming the role in August, noted that the company has been “feverishly working to find a solution that works for the company and meets our employees’ needs.” Workers rejected an earlier offer just hours after that call.
The Seattle-area machinists, facing soaring living costs driven by tech industry expansion from companies like Microsoft and Amazon, have consistently pressed for higher pay. The strike, initiated over these demands, has delayed Boeing’s plans to stabilize operations amid ongoing production and safety issues.
The company earlier faced a major setback with a door plug failure on a Boeing 737 MAX 9 (737-9) in January, adding to prior safety concerns.
Financially, Boeing has struggled, reporting losses exceeding $6 billion last quarter and anticipating cash flow challenges until 2025. The strike’s economic impact is also expected to be reflected in Friday’s U.S. jobs report.
However, despite all these hurdles, Boeing did deliver one 737 MAX to Southwest Airlines (WN). Further, it secured a big order for 10 787-9 Dreamliners from South Americas LATAM Group.
Feature Image by Clément Alloing | Flickr
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