Transportation Secretary Buttigieg Urges Swift Resolution To Boeing Workers’ Strike

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Boeing’s machinist strike will continue into its fifth week after the aerospace giant withdrew its ‘best and final offer,’ blaming the union for being too demanding. The company has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the union.
Finding a solution
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District Lodge 751 and W24, representing nearly 33,000 workers, have failed to reach an agreement with Boeing after discussions on October 8th. The breakdown in talks led to the aircraft manufacturer withdrawing its best and final offer, which the unions say doesn’t meet the standards the workers deserve. However, the manufacturer claims that the union refuses to consider any proposals it puts forward seriously. Forcing it to withdraw the offer.
Photo: IAM District Lodge 751
According to Reuters, Boeing has subsequently filed an unfair labor practice charge against the IAM with the National Labor Relations Board. In the filing, Boeing said that the union’s leaders were misrepresenting the terms of Boeing’s offer to its members and that the union’s negotiators didn’t have the authority to strike a deal.
However, the union has a different view. It said that Boeing was “hell-bent” on sticking to what it claimed was its best and final proposal, which features a 30% wage increase over four years, which it offered when the strike first began four weeks ago. However, the union chose not to put the proposal to its members for a vote, claiming that the ailing aircraft manufacturer could do better. The union is planning a new survey of its members this week.
The union has acknowledged that Boeing has improved its offer, from a 25% wage increase offered last month to the current 30% increase that was just withdrawn. However, the offer is short of the 40% wage increase the union is chasing. The IAM also wants to reinstate the defined-benefit pension it agreed to give up in 2014.
It should be noted that the IAM filed an unfair labor practice charge against Boeing last month. However, a result has yet to be announced regarding the charge. Boeing said that its filing is in response to the IAM’s legal filings.
Ending the strike
Boeing said that it is committed to reaching a compromise with the unions and ending the strike, which has caused production for most of its aircraft models to come to a complete standstill. Production for parts for the Boeing 737, Boeing 767, and Boeing 777 have stopped due to the strike.
Photo: Coby Wayne | Shutterstock
Pete Buttigieg, US Transportation Secretary, spoke about the increasing importance of the strike coming to an end:

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