Mediators try to get Boeing, union talking

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, January 17, 2006

That’s the latest word from the Machinists union strike against Boeing’s rocket business divisions. The strike involves some 1,500 workers in Alabama, California and Florida, who walked out Nov. 2 over issues similar to those that prompted last year’s IAM strike against Boeing Commercial Airplanes: including health care costs and retiree benefits.

The Huntsville Times in Alabama reports http://www.al.com/business/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/business/113757950411150.xml&coll=1 that the union is a little leary about meeting with Boeing.

Key Quote: “Bob Wood, a machinists union spokesman, said last week’s meeting — in which Boeing indicated it would not change the value of its contract offer — was aimed at discouraging picketing workers. ‘We want to ensure the request is in good faith and not another ruse to discourage our members on strike,’ Wood said.”

Florida Today http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060118/BUSINESS/601180354/1003 reports that Boeing asked the federal mediation service to approach the union, and that’s why the union is hesitating.

Key Quote: “IAM spokesman Robert Wood said the union hesitated, and wants to make sure the company is making a good faith offer to return to the bargaining table. Union and company leaders met Jan. 9 in Seattle to review issues and neither party was willing to budge.”