Local union members react to Boeing contract vote

MOSES LAKE — Union members from IAM 751 voted against a new contract from Boeing on Wednesday, with 64% rejecting the new contract, according to a union media release. For a new contract to pass 51% of members must vote in favor of it.  

"This contract struggle began over ten years ago when the company overreached and created a wound that may never heal for many members,” IAM District 751 President Jon Holden said when the results of the vote were announced. “I don’t have to tell you all how challenging it has been for our membership through the pandemic, the crashes, massive inflation and the need to address the losses stemming from the 2014 contract.” 

The IAM 751 members voted on the contract; however, since it did not pass, Boeing and the union will return to the negotiating table. There has not been information released on when negotiations will begin again.  

“We are disappointed in the result of the vote,” is the statement Boeing released Oct. 23. 

Initial Offer 

The original contract Sept. 8 was rejected by 94.6% of employees and 96% voted in favor of a strike. Today will mark the 43rd day on strike. 

“Boeing is pushing off its workforce, basically second-rate citizens,” Tim Phillips, Boeing employee said in a Sept. 9 interview to the Columbia Basin Herald. "They coerced us into giving up our pensions back in 2014 we voted it down 67% in November, and then they brought a vote back and forced us to vote on it during our Christmas break, when probably 20 to 25% of our senior members were on extended vacation because they like to add a vacation day before the Christmas break and after the Christmas break to make a full two weeks plus the weekends.”   

The initial offer had a 25% general wage increase and job security; healthcare cost share was lowered, retirement security was enhanced, members will only have one set of progression steps in their career, vacation time will be available for those who earn it, secure upgrades for certain job codes and improved overtime limits. 

“Boeing should come forward with a fair offer that truly represents the workforce and the work we do for you, everything we build,” Phillips, said in a Sept. 9 interview to the Columbia Herald Basin. “Those are lives that rely on the quality of the product being built. And so, for that type of work, I think it deserves that type of pay.” 

Sept. 23 offer 

The Sept. 8 offer was released to the media as the “Best and Final contract offer.”  

The offer included a 30% general wage increase, a $6,000 ratification bonus, reinstated the Aerospace Machinists Performance Program bonus and increased Boeing’s 401(k) to 100% of employees' first 8% of pay, plus an automatic 4% company contribution. In the former contract, it was a 25% general wage increase, a $3,000 ratification bonus, no AMPP bonus and 75% of 8% of pay plus the automatic 4% company contribution.  

Boeing released a statement to the members asking them to vote on the contract by Sept. 27. However, according to IAM 751 this offer was sent to the media and members without negotiation with union leadership.  

Boeing and the union attempted further negotiations after the Sept. 23 contract offer. However, by the end of negotiations on Oct. 8, Boeing withdrew its offer.

“We're making airplanes, not garbage cans,” Boeing employee, Rick Hameline said in an Oct. 8 interview with the Columbia Basin Herald. “So, there's a big difference between making airplanes and making toys or buckets. You need to pay to keep the talented workforce. Boeing has a hard time keeping talent because what happens is they'll come to work for Boeing, the pay is so low, and the benefits are not there anymore.”   

Oct. 23 rejection  

The new contract proposed a 35% wage increase, 10% more than the Sept. 8 contract proposal. The Oct. 19 contract also offered a $7,000 ratification bonus, $4,000 more than the original offer.  

“We aren’t fry cooks. Like the worst thing that could happen with them is, like, illness, but if someone messes up here, it's a bunch of lives on the line,” Boeing employee Dave Jones said. “We take our job seriously and we should be paid as such.” 

The retirement fund in the new contract would have a one-time $5,000 contribution from Boeing into the employees 401(k) and Boeing increased its matching contribution to 100% of the first 8% of pay plus and automatic 4% company contribution.  

In the first contract, Boeing was to match 75% of the first 8% of employee contributions plus the automatic 4%.  

The new contract also offered a legacy pension multiplier for employees with accrued benefits which would be increased from $95 per month to $105 per month for eligible employees. This was not offered formerly.  

“I realize our salary is equated to a lot of money, but you can't tell me that our CEOs just walked away. Got a 40, 45% pay raise last year, and plus X amount of million dollars, and they're talking about how giving us back our pension is too much money,” Jones said. "I realized we voted that way, but that was a sneaky, underhanded deal.” 

Boeing also returned the sick time call-out language to not include a call in before shift.  

Everything else from the Sept. 8 contract stayed the same.  

“Well, I would like it if they really respected us and stopped treating us like children,” Jones said. “We are adults. Most of us are just trying to get the industry standard for what we do for a living. We are way below industry standard on our actual pay, it’s crap.”