EVERETT — A Boeing contractor’s Craigslist advertisement recently stirred up questions about how long the company expects its Machinists to strike.
On Sept. 26, a contractor posted an advertisement for a temporary job, lasting one to two months. The heating, ventilating and air conditioning technician position is one typically performed by members of the Machinists union. But the Machinists have been on strike since Sept. 6, when a new contract agreement couldn’t be reached with Boeing.
No meetings have been scheduled between Boeing and the Machinists to discuss a new three-year labor deal.
The posting, from a Tacoma-based contractor, promised “BIG TIME OVERTIME!!! 7 day a week 12hrs a day!!! for the next 1-2 months.”
Boeing spokesman Tim Healy confirmed on Thursday that Boeing has brought in temporary workers to fill facilities and janitorial positions. The workers ensure that Boeing’s large factories are functional and safe for the employees — engineers, technical workers and managers — who still are working there. “One of our priorities is to provide a safe workplace,” Healy said.
Boeing has relied on temporary workers to fill similar jobs in previous strikes, he said.
But Healy said that Machinists shouldn’t read anything into the “one- to two-month” time frame advertised for the temporary job. “I don’t know where they got that,” Healy said.
He added that as soon as the Machinists are back at Boeing, “we don’t have a need for the temporary workers.”
In addition to the facilities positions, Healy said, Boeing has about a dozen nonunion machinists, hired through contractors, working to help the company reach a “critical milestone for a defense program.” The temporary workers are assigned to Boeing’s Airborne Early-Warning &Control program and are performing ground and flight-test operations.
Machinists’ spokeswoman Connie Kelliher didn’t think the Craigslist advertisement necessarily indicates that Boeing expects the strike to last one to two months. And she wasn’t surprised the company had to bring in temporary facilities staff.
But, Kelliher noted, the 27,000 striking members will be angry to find out that Boeing has brought in temporary workers on the defense program. “They could have the best, most qualified and most experienced workers doing the job — that’s our members,” Kelliher said.
Reporter Michelle Dunlop: 425-339-3454 or mdunlop@heraldnet.com.
Boeing Machinists’ Strike Day 28
No negotiations are scheduled.
Saturday will tie the Machinists’ 2005 strike.
The union distributes strike checks Saturday at the Evergreen Fairgrounds in Monroe.
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