Boeing Workers Won’t Easily End Their Strike. Here’s Why.
The vehemence of workers over wages and other issues caught the company and union leaders off guard.The New York Times reports that the strong reaction of workers to issues such as wages has taken both the company and union leaders by surprise. The rejection of a new labor contract by thousands of Boeing employees, leading to a strike, has put them at odds not only with management but also with their own union leaders who supported the proposed deal. As negotiations resume, the demands of the rank and file of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers must be taken into account. These demands, which include larger pay raises and more lucrative retirement benefits than what was agreed upon by their leaders and Boeing, may be difficult for management to meet. However, experts believe that the overwhelming strike vote of 96 percent in favor gives the union leverage in negotiations.
Sociologist Jake Rosenfeld, who studies labor at Washington University in St. Louis, stated that the high strike vote numbers may be embarrassing for the union from a public relations standpoint, but also give them leverage in negotiations. Boeing, on the other hand, is facing financial losses due to a slowdown in commercial jet production and a potential long strike at their main production base in Seattle could add to these losses and affect their credit rating. The federal mediation service has announced that talks between the union and Boeing management will resume in the coming days.
In an interview, Jon Holden, president of District 751, the part of the machinists’ union representing most of the striking workers, stated that they will continue to push for what their members deserve. He also mentioned that they are willing to go further than the company expected. The New York Times reports that the article content is currently unavailable and asks readers to enable JavaScript in their browser settings. If the reader is in “Reader mode,” they are asked to exit and log into their Times account or subscribe for full access.
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