financetom
Business
financetom
/
Business
/
Striking Boeing union endorses 38% wage hike offer, vote set for Monday
News World Market Environment Technology Personal Finance Politics Retail Business Economy Cryptocurrency Forex Stocks Market Commodities
Striking Boeing union endorses 38% wage hike offer, vote set for Monday
Nov 4, 2024 11:48 AM

SEATTLE (Reuters) -Striking Boeing workers will vote on Monday on an improved contract offer that includes a 38% pay rise over four years, a larger signing bonus and carries the endorsement of their union, which told members it had extracted all it could from the planemaker.

The latest offer, presented on Thursday, comes at a critical moment for Boeing, which this week announced it would raise up to $24.3 billion to shore up its battered finances as a seven-week strike by more than 33,000 U.S. West Coast factory workers worsens its cash burn.

"In every negotiation and strike, there is a point where we have extracted everything that we can in bargaining and by withholding our labor. We are at that point now and risk a regressive or lesser offer in the future," the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said.

Members rejected two earlier offers from Boeing.

The planemaker's shares rose 2.8% in after-hours trading after the offer was announced earlier in an exclusive report by Reuters. Shares had closed down 3.2% on Thursday.

Talks between the two sides were held this week with the assistance of Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie Su. The union vote will come the day before the U.S. presidential poll, which is a dead heat between Democrat Kamala Harris, who would be expected to continue the Biden administration's pro-union policies, and Republican Donald Trump.

An approved deal would be a boost for new Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg, who is pushing for a "fundamental culture change" at the company after a mid-air door panel blowout in January that put the spotlight on its safety and quality record.

The strike has halted production of its strongest-selling 737 MAX jet and its 767 and 777 widebodies.

Boeing said in a statement it encourages "all of our employees to learn more about the improved offer and vote on Monday, Nov. 4." 

An end to the strike would also benefit aerospace suppliers that have been furloughing workers and holding off on new capital investments, as well as airlines facing extended aircraft delivery delays.

APPROVAL NOT GUARANTEED

It is not yet clear how union members will vote. The negotiating team had been pushing for a 40% wage increase and the return of a defined-benefit pension that members lost a decade ago.  

Last week, some 64% of workers rejected an offer of a 35% general wage increase over four years that was not endorsed by the union.

Boeing's first offer of a 25% wage increase, which was endorsed by the union, was rejected by nearly 95% of workers in September.

James Mann, a 26-year-old 737 mechanic, said he planned to reject the offer proposed on Thursday, but he was prepared to return to work if it was approved by the majority.

"I'm still voting no, because of the pension," he said.  

Boeing's latest offer includes a $12,000 ratification bonus, the IAM said in a statement. It combines a previously offered $7,000 ratification bonus and a $5,000 lump sum into the members' 401(k) retirement account. 

This would allow workers to choose how the total amount is received, either as part of a paycheck, a contribution to the 401(k) or a combination of both.

The signing bonus and the higher pay raises are "basically what we asked for," said Donovan Evans, 30, who works on the 767 final assembly line at Boeing's Everett plant and voted to reject the first two offers. 

"I feel like it's pretty fair for what we do," he said. "I feel like I'm going to vote yes on Monday."

Comments
Welcome to financetom comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Related Articles >
Google agrees $36 million fine for anti-competitive deals with Australia telcos
Google agrees $36 million fine for anti-competitive deals with Australia telcos
Aug 17, 2025
SYDNEY, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Google agreed on Monday to pay a A$55 million ($35.8 million) fine in Australia after the consumer watchdog found it had hurt competition by paying the country's two largest telcos to pre-install its search application on Android phones, excluding rival search engines. The fine extends a bumpy period for the Alphabet-owned internet giant in Australia,...
Alamos Gold Agrees to Sell Quartz Mountain to Q-Gold Resources
Alamos Gold Agrees to Sell Quartz Mountain to Q-Gold Resources
Apr 3, 2025
05:20 PM EDT, 04/03/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Alamos Gold ( AGI ) said Thursday it entered into a binding agreement to sell its non-core Quartz Mountain Gold Project in Oregon, to Q-Gold Resources ( QGLDF ) . The total consideration for the deal is up to US$21 million and a 9.9% equity interest in Q-Gold. The transaction includes US$2.85 million...
Alvopetro Release March 2025 Sales Volumes
Alvopetro Release March 2025 Sales Volumes
Apr 3, 2025
05:21 PM EDT, 04/03/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Alvopetro Energy ( ALVOF ) after close of trade said March sales volumes of 2,580 boepd, including natural gas sales of 14.5 MMcfpd, associated natural gas liquids sales from condensate of 146 bopd and oil sales of 12 bopd, based on field estimates, bringing the company's average daily sales volumes to 2,446 boepd...
Boardwalk REIT Provides Update, Confirms Closing of Elbow 5 Eight Acquisition
Boardwalk REIT Provides Update, Confirms Closing of Elbow 5 Eight Acquisition
Apr 3, 2025
05:17 PM EDT, 04/03/2025 (MT Newswires) -- Boardwalk Real Estate Investment Trust (BEI-UN.TO) after close of trade Thursday provided an update highlighting the ongoing demand for affordable housing and resilience of its portfolio heading into the spring. The REIT maintained strong occupancy throughout the first quarter while occupied rents rose to an average $1,530 in January, up from $1,404 in...
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.financetom.com All Rights Reserved