Boeing wants to end the strike – which would cost it $100 million a day. The American aircraft manufacturer has raised the conditions provided for in the draft social agreement negotiated with the machinists’ union (IAM), with a salary increase of 38% over four years instead of 35%, announced the local branch of the union.
IAM-District 751, which represents the more than 33,000 workers on strike since September 13 in the Seattle region (northwest), indicated on its website that its members would vote on Monday and “recommended” to them to ratify it.
“Your union supports and recommends to you the latest draft IAM/Boeing social agreement. It is time for our members to lock in these gains and declare, with complete confidence, victory,” noted the union regarding this fourth offer made by Boeing since the beginning of September, but the third on which members will be called to vote .
They rejected by almost 96% a first offer on September 12, which provided for a 25% salary increase, then a second on October 23 which proposed 35% but which was rejected by 64%. Since the opening of discussions in May, the union has been demanding a 40% increase.
Confident unions
“We believe that asking our members to strike for longer would not be appropriate because we have achieved so much success,” the union continued.
The offer presented Thursday provides for an increase in salaries of 38% over the four years of the duration of the social agreement and increases the ratification bonus to 12,000 dollars instead of 7,000 dollars planned in the previous project, details Boeing.
“We encourage all of our employees to find out more about the improved offer and to vote on Monday, November 4,” the aircraft manufacturer pleaded Thursday in a press release.
