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.

FMI: www.boeing.com ; www.goiam.org