Around 33,000 workers of Boeing affiliated with the District 751 and W24 of the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers voted Thursday afternoon (Pacific Time) on the new labor contract proposed by the company, as well as on a call to strike.
Approximately 95% of voters rejected the contract, and 96% approved the strike (set to begin at midnight on September 13), expected results considering that the tentative agreement announced on Sunday included only a 25% wage increase over a four-year period, while workers had requested 40%.
To counter this gap, Boeing played a key card: committing that the new commercial aircraft they would develop would be manufactured in the Seattle and Portland areas, thus guaranteeing job stability in that region. But there was a “catch”: this was only valid if the program was announced before 2028.
The American manufacturer also promised improvements in health and retirement plans, a $3,000 bonus, a reduction in mandatory overtime, and the promotion of 4,000 employees.
But none of this was enough, and now, on top of all the problems that Boeing has been carrying, it now faces the first strike of this magnitude since 2008, when it lasted for 57 days. Various financial analysts from entities such as UBS and TD Cowen estimated that if the strike extends similarly, Boeing could face losses between 3 and 4 billion dollars.
The impact would also reach airlines, which will have to deal with further delays in the delivery of new aircraft.
