It’s day 27 of the Boeing Machinists strike. And, according to a Craigslist advertisement, the strike may last another one to two months.
One striking union member recently answered a Craigslist advertisement for a temporary HVAC Journey-level technician. Turns out it was for essentially his own job at Boeing. 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’s spokesman Tim Healy told me that Boeing has brought on temporary workers to fill facilities and janitorial positions.
“One of our priorities is to provide a safe workplace,” Healy said. And the facilities positions allow Boeing to do that. The company employed temporary workers to fill similar jobs in previous strikes, he said.
Is the one- to two- month length of job an indicator of how long Boeing thinks the strike will last?
“I don’t know where they got that,” Healy said.
In addition to the facilities positions, Healy said, Boeing has about a dozen non-union machinists (through contractors) working to help the company reach a “critical milestone for a defense program” (AEW&C).
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 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.
Reader questions: Does the Craigslist ad suggest the Boeing Machinists strike will last another one to two months? What are your thoughts on Boeing bringing in temporary workers?
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