Boeing workers to vote on 35% pay deal

Striking workers at Boeing in the US are to vote on a 35% pay rise this week that could put an end to industrial action.

Around 33,000 employees who are members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) have been on strike since mid-September, most of them in Washington state.

The vote on Wednesday (23 October) will be on a deal that includes a 35% pay increase over four years, a $7,000 ratification bonus, and enhanced pension contributions.

In a statement this weekend, Boeing said it was looking forward to negotiating the deal, while the union said it had received a proposal from the company that was “worthy of consideration”.

Earlier this month, the plane manufacturer announced it planned to cut a tenth of its global workforce due to financial difficulties. “We need to reset our workforce levels to align with our financial reality,” it said in a statement.

Senators in the state of Washington have also pushed for an agreement, writing a letter urging both sides to “expeditiously work out a fair and durable deal that recognises the importance of the machinist workforce to Boeing’s future”.

The union had been seeking a 40% pay increase over three to four years alongside additional benefits and a reinstatement of Boeing’s pension plan. A 25% offer from Boeing was rejected, and the IAM later refused to vote on a “best and final” offer of 30% from the company.

IAM said of the latest offer: “The fact the company has put forward an improved proposal is a testament to the resolve and dedication of the frontline workers who’ve been on strike – and to the strong support they have received from so many.

“This proposal will be carefully reviewed and voted upon by the frontline workers of Boeing whose dedication to their communities and families have made this company successful in the past.

“The workers will ultimately decide if this specific proposal is sufficient in meeting their very legitimate needs and goal of achieving respect and fairness at Boeing.

“Like many workers in America, IAM members at Boeing have sacrificed greatly for their employer, including during the pandemic when these workers were reporting to the factory as executives stayed at home. These workers deserve to have all of those sacrifices recognised.”

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