Strike at Boeing Plants Deepens After Contract Rejected
Workers at Boeing have once again rejected a contract proposal, prolonging their strike that has now lasted for over six weeks across three sites in the Midwest that are important in the manufacture of military aircraft and weaponry. According to the union that represents the 3,200 striking workers who are involved in the building of fighter planes, weapons systems, and the first carrier-based unmanned aircraft for the United States Navy, the vote that took place on Friday, which rejected the most recent proposal, sends the workers back to the picket lines.
Reports says fifty-seven percent of its members voted against the motion. The Boeing presented did not include an acceptable signing bonus in comparison to what other Boeing workers have been granted, nor did it include an increase in the benefits that are provided by the 401(k) plan. “We are disappointed that our employees have rejected a five-year offer, which included a forty-five percent average wage growth,” said Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing Air Dominance, in a statement that was sent out via email. We have made it very clear that the broad economic framework of our offer will not be altered in any way; nonetheless, we have continually updated the offer in response to the input provided by employees and unions in order to more effectively address their concerns.
“We will continue to execute our contingency plan, including hiring permanent replacement workers, as we maintain support for our customers,” Gillian stated in response. When compared to the walkout that took place in the previous year, which involved 33,000 Boeing workers who were responsible for the assembly of commercial jetliners, the strike that began on August 4 is substantially lower in magnitude. However, the efforts that the aerospace firm is doing to restore its financial stability are being significantly hampered by the work stoppage that has occurred.
The Defense, Space, and Security sector of Boeing accounts for more than one-third of the overall income generated by the corporate entity. The Boeing Company, which has its headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, is proud to have more than 170,000 workers working across the United States and in more than 65 other countries.
