Tens of thousands of Boeing employees cancel strike
Tens of Thousands of Boeing Employees in the US Agree on a Possible Strike. IAM Holds Vote in Form of a Mass Event at a Baseball Stadium in Northwest Seattle. IAM Represents a Total of 32,000 Employees, 30,000 of whom are in Boeing Plants in Renton and Everett in the Seattle Area, where the 737 and 777 Models are Manufactured.
IAM has been negotiating with Boeing since March over a new labor contract. The current contract was signed 16 years ago and expires on September 12. No concrete offer from the employer is present yet. A strike might only come if a genuine offer is rejected in a second vote in September. Boeing referred to the vote as a "formal" step.
"We are still optimistic that we can reach an agreement that meets the needs of our workers and the economic realities we face as a company," the company stated. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun promised the employees some form of wage increase.
The union representative Jon Holden demanded a "substantial" wage increase of at least 40 percent, as well as provisions for healthcare, retirement, and job security. He considered a strong wage increase necessary, as employees had only received minimal increases for inflation adjustment in the past eight years.
According to the union, the negotiations have been stuck for several weeks. They hope for a large turnout on Wednesday to send a clear message to Boeing. In addition to the vote at T-Mobile Park, IAM plans a parade with 800 motorcycles.
Boeing announced that it would allow employees to leave work earlier or arrive later to enable their participation in the vote. "We respect and support our employees' right to participate in the vote on July 17," the company stated prior to the event. A result of the vote was expected in the evening.
If the proposed Boeing-Strike materializes, tens of thousands of Boeing-employees could significantly impact the production of Boeing's 737 and 777 models. Despite Boeing-Strike being a possibility, the company remains optimistic about reaching an agreement with IAM.
