Fourth Boeing contract offer up for vote today

MOSES LAKE — Boeing International released a fourth contract offer Oct. 31 which members will be voting on today at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church.  

“Yesterday, we reached a proposed agreement with the IAM bargaining committee on a new four-year contract,” Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in a Friday release. “I know the strike has been difficult for you as well as for our customers, suppliers, communities and all who work at Boeing. It’s time we all came back together and focus on rebuilding the business and delivering the world’s best airplanes. There are a lot of people depending on us.  

The new contract offers a 38% general wage increase spread over the course of the four-year term of the agreement, whereas the previous contracts offered 25%, 30% and 35% increases, respectively.  

“Your Union is endorsing and recommending the latest IAM/Boeing Contract Proposal. It is time for our members to lock in these gains and confidently declare victory,” said an Oct. 31 statement from IAM 751. “We believe asking members to stay on strike longer wouldn't be right as we have achieved so much success. 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 new contract also offers a $12,000 ratification bonus, whereas previous offers sat at $3,000, $6,000 and $7,000 respectively.  

“We encourage all of our employees to learn more about the improved offer and vote on Monday, Nov. 4,” reads an Oct. 31 statement from Boeing. 

The Oct. 31 contract will have a Boeing 401(k) match increase to 100% of the first 8% of pay, plus an auto 4% company contribution. In the initial Sept. 8 contract the match was only 75% of the first 8% of pay.  

The Oct. 31 contract also is the first to offer an increased legacy pension for employers with accrued benefits. It will increase from $95 to $105 a month for eligible employees.  

However, local Boeing employee Jim Schell does not believe this contract is enough.  

“I don't think it's meeting our needs,” Schell said. “We've been out here fighting for our pension and better health care costs, and they seem to only care about trying to give us more money, which, yeah, that's great, especially for those that aren't maxed out, but they stole our pension 10 years ago, and that's the bottom line, is they stole it from us, and so we've been out here fighting to get it back.” 

Schell is referring to the 2014 contract vote that removed the pension in favor of a 401(K). Multiple members of Boeing have said they believed the contract was unfair because it was voted on the day after Christmas break ended that year, and many members did not know about the vote because they took extended Christmas leave.  

“They're not doing right by us,” Schell said. “They know it and unfortunately, our union leadership is apparently not willing to keep fighting for it. I don't know that I really ever expected to get the pension back. It's hopeful that I'm willing to stick out here as long as it takes to try and get it back, but there's other things that they potentially could have done that would have helped offset the loss of that pension, but they're not even willing to address those numbers.”  

One thing Schell mentioned is providing better medical benefits. Schell said that when he started for the company 17 years ago, Boeing had a free insurance plan and there were options to upgrade to buy better coverage. However, Schell said Boeing no longer offers a free medical plan and the plans that are offered are inadequate.  

“The wage increases they're giving us are going to be eaten up in medical costs over the life of this contract,” Schell said. “Most of these people could go work at McDonald's and have none of the headaches of BS that goes on inside these walls. We're damn near the same pay. So why would I come here with all the (nonsense) if I don't have a future that can support me in retirement? We bust our (butts) in the factory, we bust our (butts), and we get hurt here. We get sick here because of all the chemicals and they won't even give us a good health care plan?” 

Schell said that he has had both of his shoulders worked on and back problems. Even sitting at the picket line is painful; however, he perseveres. He said he just wishes Boeing would be willing to meet union demands because he thinks the demands are reasonable. 

“All of our CEOs and bigwigs, C-suite guys, they're getting millions of dollars to do what? They go out and sell stuff,” Schell said. “They go out and promise our customers stuff but without us, you cannot fulfill those promises. We're the ones that fulfill everything that you put out there. We're the ones that pay for everything; we keep the lights on in these buildings. So how are you more important than us? You know, but you can come in signing bonuses and pension bonuses and all these other craps that are in the millions of dollars, and you're not willing to give us anything. If they want to remove pensions, they should remove it for everyone, including the CEOs.” 

The Columbia Basin Herald will release a follow-up story on the results of the union vote. The contract needs 51% of union members to agree with the proposal for it to pass and for the strike to end. The last contract was rejected by a 64% vote. 

“We're fighting for an all-around better package, for a contract for not just us,” Schell said. “This is for all the future generations as well that come in here, my children and the future employees and all the other retirees now that have been out on the picket lines, fighting for us. I will keep fighting for us.” 

    Jim Schell and Albert Llarenas shake hands while sitting at the picket line Friday. The line is still being manned 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even when the rain is pouring, and the wind is blowing.