The union, which represents more than 30,000 striking Boeing factory workers in the Portland and Seattle areas, says it has “extracted everything that we can” in bargaining after it reached yet another tentative agreement with the beleaguered aerospace giant on Thursday.
The IAM District 751 is now pushing its members to accept the latest offer, which includes a 38% pay raise over the course of the four-year contract, a one-off $12,000 ratification bonus, and a $5,000 lump sum payment into 401k plans.
The new deal adds 13% to the original pay raise and $9,000 to the ratification bonus that the union put forward to its members in early September before it was overwhelmingly rejected by workers who work on Boeing’s aircraft assembly lines in Puget Sound.
Shortly after rejecting the original tentative agreement, the workers, officially known as machinists, went on strike, plunging Boeing into a major crisis that has already resulted in the company slashing 10% of its workforce as it desperately attempts to cut as many costs as possible.
Boeing then put forward a non-negotiated offer, which was described as its “best and final” offer and was quickly rejected by the union. Following a tense standoff, the two sides eventually agreed to face-to-face negotiations with the help of senior Biden administration officials.
The negotiations resulted in a second negotiated contract, which offered a 35% pay raise plus a $7,000 one-time ratification bonus. This deal was also rejected, although workers were more split than when it came to the original vote.
Now, the union is warning that the latest tentative agreement is the best it can secure.
“It is time for our Members to lock in these gains and confidently declare victory. We believe asking members to stay on strike longer wouldn’t be right as we have achieved so much success,” the union said in a short statement.
“In every negotiation and strike, there is a point where we have extracted everything that we can in bargaining and by withholding our labor. We are at that point now and risk a regressive or lesser offer in the future.”
Machinists are expected to vote on the latest deal on Monday, November 4, in a short 24-hour ballot. In a short statement, Boeing said: “We encourage all of our employees to learn more about the improved offer.”
