Boeing suffers biggest strike wave in 16 years

According to The Guardian , Boeing workers in the Seattle (Washington, USA) and Portland (Oregon, USA) areas announced the voting results, in which 94.6% opposed the preliminary agreement and 96% supported the strike. IAM union president Jon Holden said: "This is a matter of respect, a matter of resolving the past and a matter of fighting for our future."

Boeing factory workers line up to vote in Washington, DC, on September 12, 2024.

Earlier, Boeing and the International Association of Machinists (IAM) - representing more than 30,000 Boeing employees - reached a preliminary agreement on September 8 on a 25% wage increase and a commitment to produce Boeing's next commercial jet in the Seattle area for the entire 4-year term of the contract to prevent strikes.

The first strike by workers since 2008 will begin at midnight on September 13. Mr. Holden did not specify how long the strike would last, but said the union would return to the negotiating table as quickly as possible, but

Responding to the news, Boeing said: "We remain committed to restoring our relationship with our employees and unions, and we are ready to return to the negotiating table to reach a new agreement." Ahead of the union vote, Boeing also urged workers to accept the preliminary agreement and avoid a strike.

The strike will put pressure on the planemaker to offer more favorable terms and is a fresh blow to Boeing as it tries to improve quality following manufacturing scandals.

Boeing's new CEO Kelly Ortberg said ahead of the union vote that a strike would jeopardize the company's overall recovery, further erode customer confidence and undermine the company's future prospects.

According to Reuters, a prolonged strike would not only affect Boeing's financial situation, but also affect airlines that depend on Boeing's jet line as well as suppliers that produce parts and components for the corporation's planes.

The most recent Boeing workers' strike in 2008 shut down the factory for 52 days and cost an estimated $100 million a day in lost revenue.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/boeing-hung-chiu-lan-song-dinh-cong-lon-nhat-trong-16-nam-185240913160421654.htm