More on the IAM strike against IDS

Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, November 2, 2005

Boeing is considering hiring replacement workers to carry out rocket launches at Vandenberg Air Force base, but hasn’t made any decisions, the Lompoc Record reports. http://www.lompocrecord.com/articles/2005/11/03/news/news03.txt

Key Quote: “Last week, NASA delayed delivering a pair of environmental satellites to their launch pad at Vandenberg because of the looming labor action.”

The Daily Breeze http://www.dailybreeze.com/business/articles/1832671.html reports that benefits are the main issue for striking Machinists.

Key Quote: “Boeing has proposed denying retirement benefits, including medical and life insurance, to employees hired after July 2006 … In addition, Boeing proposed increasing employees’ out-of-pocket expenses for medical premiums and co-payments, the union said.”

In Alabama, The Decatur Daily reports http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/news/051103/strike.shtml that Boeing is going to try to continue rocket production using salaried workers.

Key Quote: “Boeing spokesman Doug Shores said the ‘contingency plan’ is to continue production despite the strike. He declined to specify how production would continue without the 305 hourly employees. Before the strike, union officials said they thought Boeing would use salaried workers on production lines. About half of Boeing’s 660 employees are on salary.”