Boeing has returned to contract negotiations with machinists union IAM District 751 under the oversight of federal mediators after three weeks of strike action by the union’s 33,000 members.
The new negotiations are the first signal of movement from either side since the strike began, when IAM leadership accused the manufacturer of “disrespecting” the union by making a pay offer directly to workers.
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The union negotiating committee said: “This meeting is another critical opportunity to push for the priorities of our membership. We will continue to fight relentlessly for the issues that matter most.”
An original round of negotiations had previously yielded a contract offer supported by Boeing and the IAM but was overwhelmingly rejected by staff, with 96% of members voting to reject the deal.
As a result, the union has since taken a firmer stance on its demands, specifically calling for a 40% pay rise and the reinstation of pension plans withdrawn by Boeing in the last contract.
However, with the manufacturer already struggling to ensure its commercial aircraft division remains profitable in the face of production limitations introduced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) earlier this year, the company will be reluctant to splash out on a new offer to workers.
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By GlobalDataIn his most recent comments on the dispute, newly installed CEO Kelly Ortberg said a resolution remained a priority for him and said: “I am confident that we will get through this period and come together as one team.”
The beginning of new mediated negotiations will be particularly welcome for companies down Boeing’s supply chain, which have been feeling the effects of a lack of orders from the aircraft manufacturer.
Spirit Aerosystems, a tier 1 supplier set to rejoin Boeing’s operations in the next year, has reportedly been looking at its furlough plan as work on its backlog of orders nears an end in the next couple of weeks.
