The Boeing Co. and its Machinists union have reached a tentative agreement in the 52-day long strike Monday.
“After 52 days of striking, we have gained important and substantial improvements over the company’s last, best and final offer that was rejected on Sept. 3rd. Your solidarity brought Boeing back to the table and made this Company address your issues,” stated District 751 President Tom Wroblewski, in a statement.
Full details of the 4-year agreement will be withheld until the union can distribute copies of the new offer to its members. However, union leaders said the new contract provides its members job security and sets limits on the amount of outside vendors Boeing can use. The tentative deal has the unanimous endorsement of the Machinists’ negotiating committee and will be presented to members for a vote, which will take place in three to five days.
A federal mediator called Boeing and the Machinists to Washington D.C. on Thursday to hash out a new three-year contract. About 27,000 Machinists went out on strike Sept. 6, saying that Boeing’s contract offer failed to meet their demands for higher wages, better pension, and more job security.
““Each of you stood up and did your part to win this battle, which was a fight against more than just Boeing, but against corporate America,” Wroblewski said. “Boeing is profitable because of our members’ hard work and by standing together our members ensured they receive a bigger share of those profits.”
Arthur F. Rosenfeld, director of the U.S. Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, confirmed Monday that an agreement between Boeing and the Machinists had been reached. He commended the two parties for their hard work during the last five days of mediated talks.
“Both sides showed professionalism and a willingness to roll up their sleeves and to stick with the difficult task in front of them,” he said.
Boeing and its engineers union announced just hours earlier that they had delayed negotiations by one day to allow the company to continue mediated talks with its striking Machinists union. Negotiators for Boeing and the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace were supposed to start serious contract talks Tuesday.
The engineers union announced the postponement of negotiations in a press statement Monday.
“We agreed to this one-time delay with the hope that Boeing will use the time to conclude negotiations with the IAM,” said Ray Goforth, SPEEA’s executive director.
SPEEA represents 20,300 engineers and technical workers.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
