In its latest contract proposal, Boeing offers salary increases of 38% over four years, as well as endorsement and productivity bonuses.
Boeing workers are voting on whether to accept a new offer or continue the strike that It has lasted more than seven weeks and has paralyzed production of most Boeing airliners.
A vote in favor of the deal would clear the way for the aerospace giant to resume aircraft production and get much-needed cash. If members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers vote for a third time against Boeing’s offer, the company would be faced with greater financial danger and greater uncertainty.
Everything now depends on the Assembly vote
In his latest contract proposal, Boeing offers 38% pay increases over four years, as well as ratification and productivity bonuses. He District 751 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workerswhich represents Boeing workers in the Pacific Northwest, backed the proposal, which is slightly more generous than the one rejected by machinists nearly two weeks ago.
“The time has come for our members to achieve these achievements and confidently declare victory“the union said in scheduling Monday’s vote. Union officials said they thought they had won all they could through negotiations and the strike, and that If they reject the current proposal, future Boeing offers could be worse. They hope to announce the result of the vote on Monday night.
Boeing refuses to restore pensions
Boeing has flatly rejected requests for restore pensions traditional ones that the company froze almost a decade ago. Pensions were a key issue for workers who rejected previous offers in September and October. If the train drivers ratify the latest offer, they will return to work on November 12according to the union.
The strike began on September 13 with an overwhelming 94.6% rejection of Boeing’s offer of increase salaries by 25% in four yearswell below the union’s original demand for a salary increase from 40% in three years.
Workers voted against another offer, a 35% raise over four years, but without reactivation of pensionson October 23, the same day that Boeing reported losses in the third quarter of more than $6 billion (5.5 billion euros). However, the offer received 36% support, compared to 5% for the mid-September proposal, which led the directors of Boeing They were close to an agreement.
The strike, the first by Boeing workers since an eight-week strike in 2008, is the latest setback in a volatile year for the company. Boeing has been the subject of several federal investigations after several bolts failed and a door popped in a 737Max during an Alaska Airlines flight in January. Federal regulators limited Boeing’s airplane production until they felt confident in the company’s manufacturing safety.
The gate incident reignited concerns about the safety of the 737 Max. Two of the planes crashedless than five months apart in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.
The CEO whose effort to fix the company failed announced in March that he was resigning. In July, Boeing agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud for misleading regulators who approved the 737 Max.
Boeing insists the future is bright
The strike has created a liquidity crisis by depriving Boeing of the money it makes from delivering new planes to airlines.
The new CEO, Kelly Ortberghas admitted that confidence in Boeing has decreased, that The company has too much debt and “serious failures in our performance” have disappointed many airline customers. But, according to him, among the company’s strengths is a aircraft order book valued at half a billion dollars.
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