EVERETT — Members of the Boeing Machinists union, including some 17,000 strong in Everett, will walk off the job at midnight Friday after overwhelmingly rejecting the company’s latest contract and authorizing a strike, according to vote totals announced Thursday night.
Members voted to reject the latest contract by 94.6% . The vote to authorize a strike was 96%.
Boeing employee Brent Seman had said Wednesday he hoped union members would send a strong message about their dissatisfaction with the proposed deal.
“I want our union leadership to be embarrassed by how mad we are,” Seman said.
After Machinists Union chief Jon Holden announced the vote at the Seattle headquarters, Seman made good on his promise to look for some horns to honk.
“I feel great,” Seman said Thursday night. “I am very proud of my brothers and sisters in the union.”
To reject the offer required a majority. Two thirds of the membership were required to authorize a strike.
This would be the eighth strike by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers since the union’s first agreement with Boeing in 1936. The most recent was Sept. 6, 2008, and lasted 57 days — when both sides reached agreement on Nov. 1.
The results came as union members began casting their votes early Thursday at nearby Kasch Park. Many converged at a makeshift white canopy tent by foot, bus or vehicle.
In addition to Everett, members of the IAM District 751 held similar voting in other locations in Washington and Oregon.
Sunday’s tentative deal called for a 25% wage increase for 33,000 union members.
The International Association of Machinists had originally been advocating for raises of about 40%, according to Bloomberg. The income increase agreed, as well as improvements to health care costs and retirement benefits, would be applied over four years.
Near the voting earlier Thursday, Boeing employee Patrick Casey stood next to a green pickup. Resting on the truck bed were two loudspeakers.
“Strike, strike, strike, strike,” the speakers blared repeatedly.
Casey said he quit a job about 10 years ago because his previous company eliminated his pension. He joined Boeing on the promise of a lucrative pension.
“Boeing eliminated the pension with basically blackmail,” he said.
On Wednesday, Boeing released a fact sheet about the proposed deal and a message from new CEO and President Kelly Ortberg.
In what Boeing termed a “historic contract offer,” the company touts a “new Boeing contribution of up to $4,160 per employee per year to the company’s 401(k) plan.
On Wednesday, Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers urged Boeing and members of IAM No. 751 to reach an agreement.
“Any strike would be hard on workers, families, the company, our communities, and our region’s economy,” Somers said in a statement. “As I’ve said from the beginning, we want and need a Boeing Company focused on what they have historically done better than anyone: produce the greatest airplanes ever created through the brilliant design, unmatched engineering, and full dedication of world-class manufacturing workers.”
At Kasch Park, Casey wore a shirt urging members to vote against the contract and for a strike.
To authorize a strike, at least 66% of the membership must vote for it. Casey is not the only one with the same level of anger.
“Uh, a lot,” Casey said, referring to how many like-minded colleagues he had. “I can’t give you an exact number but a lot.”
Casey and fellow employee Martin Ruiz said this was the right time to strike. “Now’s our time,” Casey said.
Bloomberg contributed to this report.
Michael Henneke: 425-339-3431; michael.henneke@heraldnet.com; X: @ihenpecked.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
Gallery
