Machinists look to 2008 Boeing contract

With the rollout of the first 787 under their belts, local Boeing Machinists have contract negotiations with the company on their minds.

The Seattle-based District 751 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers will head into contract talks with Boeing in 2008.

But the district recently conducted a survey of its members in the Puget Sound region to get an idea of the negotiating items important to them.

Here’s a taste of comments (from unnamed Machinists) included in the July edition of IAM’s Aero Mechanic:

* “Eliminate mandatory overtime. If they must have it, triple time for all mandatory overtime. Make them pay.”

* “Job security has to be the TOP goal of this contract. Some of us have been laid off 3 and 4 times now. That is ridiculous and makes it very hard to get anywhere in life or accrue ‘Company time.’”

* “We are in a great position. We need to stick it to the Company like they stuck it to us!”

* “If McNerney gets $72 million when he retires, we should at least get a retirement benefit we can live on so we are not in poverty.”