After more than a decade of relative labor peace, workers at Boeing’s factory in Washington state have gone on strike for the first time since 2008. The strike comes after the workers overwhelmingly rejected a new contract offer from the aerospace giant, citing concerns about job security, health care benefits, and wages.
The strike, which began on Monday, has halted production at the factory, which is responsible for building the company’s 737, 747, 767, and 777 commercial airplanes. The workers, who are members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), have been without a contract since September, and negotiations between the union and Boeing have been ongoing for months.
According to union officials, the workers rejected the contract offer by a margin of more than 95%. The offer included a 4% wage increase over the next four years, as well as increases in pension and health care benefits. However, the workers were concerned about the company’s plans to shift some production work to other locations, as well as proposed changes to their health care benefits.
“We have been loyal employees of Boeing for many years, and we want to continue to build these world-class airplanes right here in Washington state,” said one striking worker. “But we cannot accept a contract that puts our jobs and our health care at risk.”
Boeing, for its part, has said that it is disappointed by the workers’ decision to strike. The company has promised to continue negotiating with the union in an effort to reach a new contract agreement.
“We believe that the offer we presented to the union was fair and competitive,” said a Boeing spokesperson. “We are committed to working with the union to find a resolution that is in the best interests of our employees and the company.”
The strike at Boeing’s Washington state factory is just the latest in a series of labor disputes that have rocked the aerospace industry in recent years. In 2018, workers at Boeing’s South Carolina factory voted to unionize, while workers at Airbus’ Alabama factory went on strike in 2019.
The outcome of the strike at Boeing’s Washington state factory remains uncertain, but both sides have indicated that they are willing to continue negotiating in an effort to reach a new contract agreement. In the meantime, production at the factory is at a standstill, and the company’s customers are likely to feel the impact in the form of delays and disruptions to their supply chain.