Flak flew as Boeing Machinists vote on second tentative contract

SEATTLE—Flak flew against Machinists leaders as 32,000 members who work for Boeing in Seattle, Everett, and elsewhere around Puget Sound in Washington and another 1,200 who toil in Portland, Ore., went to the polls on October 23 to vote on a second tentative agreement with the giant, but financially reeling, aircraft maker.

There were two signs of dissent as the workers cast their ballots. The union’s bargaining committee, from District 751 in Seattle and District W24 in Portland, recommended reading the new tentative pact carefully but did not officially endorse it, because Boeing did not budge on bargainers’ demands to restore old-style defined benefit pensions.

And the Twitterverse resounded with a back-and-forth debate on whether to OK the pact or not since the workers have been out on strike for six weeks. Some foes accused leaders of selling out members by settling for a 35% raise over four years, plus a signing bonus, rather than the 40% hike over three years which the two IAM districts demanded. Boeing had offered a 25% raise over four years in the first proposed pact. It lost.

The raise is 12% in its first year, plus a $7,000 signing bonus and a 9.3% decrease in health insurance premium rates next year, an IAM fact sheet said. Under the old contract, which expired in mid-September, the rates would have risen 3.1%. And there’s a cap on mandated overtime. The raises in the three following years are 8%, 8% and 7%

Other tweeters criticized the failure to bring back the guaranteed old-style pensions, while supporters of agreeing to the pact said those pensions are never coming back—a nationwide occurrence over the last several decades. The tentative agreement also includes a one-time $5,000 company bonus added to workers’ 401(k) accounts.

The Boeing pact is important. In normal times, the aircraft firm is a leading U.S. manufacturer and exporter—and a top military plane supplier. Its only current competition for construction of large wide-body passenger aircraft is Europe’s Airbus, which is heavily subsidized. In the military field, China is rapidly ramping up aircraft production.

Undertook shuttle diplomacy

It was important enough for Biden administration Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su to undertake shuttle diplomacy in Seattle after Boeing brass walked away from the talks in early October. Su met workers on the picket line and migrated from workers to bosses with compromise plans, which both groups finally agreed to. If one-half of the voting Machinists, plus one, say “yes,” returns to work would begin with the first shift on October 24 and be completed on Halloween.

“Following many years of making financial sacrifices to keep the company afloat, IAM members sought to regain some of the lost ground of the last 10 years, and to improve job security protections, overtime rules, and decrease their share of health insurance costs, among other priorities,” reported The Stand, the Washington State Labor Council’s on-line paper.

“The fact the company put forward an improved proposal is a testament to the resolve and dedication of frontline workers who’ve been on strike–and to strong support they received from so many,” District 751 President Jon Holden and IAM District W24 President Brandon Bryant said in a joint statement. “The workers will ultimately decide if this specific proposal is sufficient in meeting their very legitimate needs and goal of achieving respect and fairness at Boeing.

“Bargaining is hard work, and Boeing keeps walking away from the table,” Holden said early in October. “During our three mediated talks, the company has walked away all three times. That only prolongs the strike.”

Most initial tweeters opposed the pact. One tweeter specifically said, “Su’s involvement helped push this forward.”

“Drop the pension and you will have a deal,” tweeted @opinions80810. “Like the sense of urgency, this feels like you are showing. We shall see,” tweeted James Terreto. “Judging by the old posts IAM doesn’t care about anything else but Pension?” tweeted @HuskyBlazerFan, whose Twitter name refers to the University of Washington’s football team and Portland’s pro basketball team.

“17K jobs lost including the IAM positions at risk in Wichita,” HuskyBlazerFan continued. “Since that is the case IAM will strike until 2025 and fold without a pension. Boeing, IAM, and SPEEA employees are being laid off everyone has lost.” SPEEA is another, smaller union at Boeing.

@Blackitalian81 tweeted “ACCEPT!” followed by “HARD NO” from @edgarcruztacoma. Blackitalian then replied: “The people who are saying NO genuinely hate where they work and want to see Boeing fail. The same company that’s feeding them and their family.”

“The union needs to come out and recommend the membership reject this offer. All they did was move some numbers around from the offer that was rejected with resounding numbers. Still hot garbage,” tweeted John Adee.

“I will be voting NO!!!!” tweeted @mudbutt10. “REJECT!!!” declared Thomas Cormie. “Union leaders throwing members under the bus again. Vote no,” tweeted @shadowmurloc483. “Reject!! Need better vacation accrual, shorter max 4 years, pension, address the embarrassing COLA, 25% upfront, no more mandatory overtime end the cam threats for sneezing,” tweeted @Bchillingr

“Another indication the IAM works for Boeing and not its members is no real program placement language, potentially trying to strike in a time period where there is no leverage to be seen,” tweeted Esteban Vihaio.

The program placement Vihaio referred to is a Boeing contract provision promising if newer model aircraft will be built during the four years of this contract, they’ll be built in the Pacific Northwest, not at Boeing’s non-union plant in South Carolina. Boeing built that plant in the anti-union Palmetto State, its then-CEO said, specifically to get away from the Machinists—and it’s still a sore spot with the union.