Machinists represented by IAM Locals 751 and W24, with a membership of over 33,000 spanning across Seattle, Portland, and California have overwhelmingly rejected a tentative agreement (TA) proposed by IAM leadership and walked off the job after a long-winded negotiation process that began in March earlier this year.
The IAM rank-and-file voted 94% in favor of rejecting the contract, and 96% in favor of a strike. The vote participation was also astonishingly high, with over 32,000 votes being cast.
The vote occurred under an already tense atmosphere amongst Boeings employees as tens of thousands of IAM-represented machinists voted almost unanimously to sanction a strike earlier this year in T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
The rejected TA sparked widespread controversy among IAM machinists, with many complaining about Boeing lowballing the IAM membership with a wage increase counteroffer of 25% instead of the 40% that was initially discussed. Another major issue for IAM membership is the reinstatement of a pension plan eliminated in 2014, which is not mentioned in the TA. Layoffs, a delegation of work to Boeing’s only non-union factory, and mass distrust of Boeing’s capabilities to compensate its workers have also left a foul taste in the mouths of IAM rank-and-file members.
The Boeing corporation seemed desperate to avoid the strike leading up to the TA, with Boeing’s computer screensavers being changed to an image that attempted to persuade IAM members to vote yes.
Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s new CEO, in a panic-fueled public statement, stated “I know the reaction to our tentative agreement with the IAM has been passionate… I understand and respect that passion, but I ask you not to sacrifice the opportunity to secure our future together, because of the frustrations of the past.”
Jon Holden, President of IAM Local 751, stated, “We will be back at the table whenever we can get there to drive forward on the issues our members say are important.”
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