Union Members Vote On Manufacturer’s Proposed Contract

The likelihood of a strike at Boeing continues to grow as factory workers vote on a contract offer that their union negotiated. As a result, the troubled manufacturer may be adding another mess to its list: a 33,000-worker strike that could halt production.

Among other benefits, the contract would grant union members a 25% raise over 4 years. Union leadership called the deal “the best contract we’ve negotiated in our history,” yet workers seem to disagree. They explained that they felt manipulated into accepting two previous deals, causing them to lose traditional pension plans and have to pay extra health insurance.

“We recommended acceptance because we can’t guarantee we can achieve more in a strike,” Holden continued. “But that is your decision to make and is a decision that we will protect and support, no matter what.”

Voting ended around 6:00 pm PT on September 12, with the final decision still in limbo. However, no matter the result, a strike is not guaranteed: it must be approved by a two-thirds majority of the union. If this fails, the previous contract will be adopted.

If the vote succeeds, the strike would begin at 12:01 am on September 13.

A strike would not disrupt travel plans, and Boeing planes already in service would continue flight as normal. The main issue comes with fulfilling delivery contracts made with airlines. And, depending on how long the strike lasts, it could cause financial troubles for both the manufacturer and their nearly 10,000 suppliers across the US. The union consists of 33,000 members out of Boeing’s 150,000 total employees.

Workers have gained plenty of pent-up anger in recent Boeing blunders, including two fatal crashes that led to the death of nearly 350 people, a 20-month grounding of one of its best-sellers, and the infamous door-flying-off incident on an Alaska Airlines flight. Since 2018, the manufacturer is estimated to have sacrificed $33 million in profit and has taken a critical hit to its credit status.

FMI: www.boeing.com