The American aircraft manufacturer Boeing has once again raised the conditions of the draft social agreement negotiated with the machinists’ union (IAM) to end the strike which has lasted for seven weeks. Its two main factories are paralyzed by the movement.
IAM-District 751, a local branch which represents the more than 33,000 workers on strike since September 13 in the Seattle area, indicated on its online site that its members would vote on Monday and “recommended” them to ratify it.
>> A lire : Boeing employees vote massively for a strike, management wants to negotiate
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 (approx. 10,300 francs), instead of 7,000 dollars. planned in the previous project, Boeing detailed in a separate communication.
“Victoire”
“Your union supports and recommends 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, which had not called to approve the previous offer.
This is the fourth offer made by Boeing since the beginning of September, but the third on which members are called to vote. Since the opening of discussions in May, the union has been demanding a 40% increase.
Two factories paralyzed
The end of the strike is crucial for Boeing, in great financial difficulty, because the social movement paralyzes the two factories producing the 737, its flagship plane, the 777, the 767 and several military programs.
Only the 787 Dreamliner factory, located in South Carolina, is operating, but these days it only produces four planes per month. However, around 60% of the price of aircraft is paid upon delivery.
The group has taken a series of measures since mid-September to preserve its cash flow. In mid-October it announced a 10% reduction in its global workforce (nearly 171,000 at the end of 2023) in the coming months.
>> A lire : Boeing to cut around 17,000 jobs worldwide
And, to replenish its cash flow and avoid being relegated by the rating agencies to the category of speculative investments, it launched this week a giant capital increase which should bring it at least 21 billion dollars (more than 18 billion francs).
Boeing announced on October 23 its worst quarterly loss in four years, more than 6 billion dollars (5.2 billion francs) between July and September.
>> See the subject of 7:30 p.m. of October 23:
ats/afp/jtr
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