Sun, Jan 01, 2012
Union Input Facilitated in 'New Relationship' With Company
New details are emerging in the new relationship between Boeing
and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace
Workers. As ANN reported, Boeing recently inked a four-year
extension of its contract with the IAM, which then put aside its
NLRB challenge to the new, non-union Dreamliner plant in South
Carolina.
At the time, Boeing issued a statement which said, in part, "The
deal...provides significant economic gains for workers,
demonstrates Boeing’s long-term commitment to airplane
production in the Puget Sound region — which includes the
investment to be made for production of the 737 MAX — and
joins the union and company in a new relationship with common goals
and objectives."
The Seattle Times reports that under the terms of the new
contract, representatives from Boeing and IAM have agreed to
participate in a council which will hold monthly meetings. The
council will be chaired by Stan Deal, Boeing's VP of supply-chain
management and operations for the Commercial Airplanes division,
and Tom Wroblewski, president of IAM district 751.
An early goal is to set performance targets for the contract's
new bonus plan for employees, nut a longer-term goal is to build a
new, more collaborative relationship after years of sometimes ugly
disputes.
IAM President Tom Buffenbarger (pictured) is confident the
council, which will facilitate union input into improving
productivity, can succeed. He observes, "We can meet goals in
aircraft production and on-time deliveries by having a positively
charged workplace. If all this works, if it's efficient and they're
cranking out airplanes and making money, why would they want to
screw that up?"
Whether it works or not, there will be at least a five-year
truce. The revised contract approved by 74 percent of Boeing's
union machinists is not amendable until 2016.
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