SEATTLE — The union that represents striking Boeing factory workers has announced that its members will cast their votes on a new contract proposal from the aerospace giant on Monday. This latest offer includes a modestly larger wage increase than one that was turned down last week.
According to the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Boeing’s most recent proposal would result in a 38% increase in wages over a span of four years. When taking compounding into account, the total wage hike would be around 43%.
Approximately 33,000 members of the IAM have been on strike for seven weeks, which has led to a halt in production across most of Boeing’s airline jets, notably impacting the hugely popular 737 Max model.
The strike commenced on September 13, following a decisive vote in which more than 94% of workers rejected an initial offer that promised a 25% wage increase over four years. In a further development last week, a significant 64% of members declined a subsequent proposal that aimed to provide a 35% wage increase over the same four-year period.
Initially, the union sought a 40% raise over three years and advocated for the return of traditional pension plans, which have been frozen for existing workers and have not been made available to employees hired after January 2014. While striking workers in the Seattle area have emphasized the importance of pension reforms, Boeing, headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, has shown no willingness to negotiate on this front.
