SEATTLE, USA: A strike involving more than 30,000 Boeing workers, members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), began after the union overwhelmingly rejected Boeing’s contract offer.
Union leader Jon Holden, in an interview with NPR, expressed confidence that the strike could last for a while as workers demand better wage increases and the reinstatement of a defined-benefit pension scheme, lost during previous negotiations.
The strike affects Boeing’s production of its top-selling 737 MAX and other jets in Seattle and Portland. The rejected contract offered a 25% pay rise over four years and Boeing’s commitment to building its next commercial jet in Seattle, provided the program launches within the contract period. However, workers were dissatisfied, citing stagnant wages and removal of a performance bonus, which they say diminishes the pay increase.
Negotiations are set to resume next week, mediated by U.S. federal officials. A prolonged strike could negatively impact Boeing’s financial health, already weakened by a $60 billion debt, and disrupt airlines relying on its jets, as well as suppliers dependent on Boeing’s production.
