Boeing union tells striking machinists that ‘bullying’ each other over strike votes is ‘disgusting’

The union representing workers striking against troubled aerospace company Boeing (bachelor) on Thursday reminded its members that they need to stick together to get what they want.

Sixty-four percent of workers represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 751 voted Wednesday against Boeing’s latest deal, which proposed 35% increase but failed to meet the wider demands of the workers. The two key stumbling blocks are the size of the pay increase (IAM is seeking a 40% pay rise) and restoration of Boeing’s pensionwhich was cut as a benefit for new employees ten years ago.

Opinions among machinists are divided on the contract, with some arguing that they should be ‘grateful’ for the deal and ‘vote accordingly’, while others want to defend this pension benefit.” Seattle Times reported.

Rachel Sarzynski, Boeing’s 777 team leader, told the Times that “some people are desperate” and just want to get back to work and get paid again. Union members received $250 a week from the strike fund as the strikes entered their third week, a major pay cut for many employees. Sarzynski added that Boeing’s latest proposal has “absolutely divided people.”

IAM Thursday night it seems recognized this split, reminding its members that no one “deserves to be bullied or disrespected” because of how they voted on the deal. “Intimidation” of its members, the union added, is “unacceptable and vile.”

“Each of us made a choice using our voice to decide what was best for our family. This power of choice, the right to choose, is at the heart of everything we stand for,” IAM said in a statement. “Respect. Fairness. A future we decide, not a future handed to us from corporate boardrooms.”

As for the strike talks, the latest proposal comes partly after the intervention of Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, who pushed both sides to return to the negotiating table.

Boeing said in a statement that it was “disappointed” in Wednesday’s results; Its CEO told investors this week that the company was “feverishly” working on a solution. MAM said it will work to return to the negotiating table.

The strike adds to a list of Boeing problems that have resurfaced this year following the fuselage piece. fell from a plane in January. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has introduced permanent performance limitation so that Boeing could resolve quality control issues, which meant that the company was sending billions of dollars in cash out the door for a while without loss of income.

The strike has halted work on many aircraft models that make up Boeing’s order book. Now he has plans to fire 10% of its workforce and raise tens of billions of dollars in cash to shore up its coffers amid lost income but securing this funding was partly due to the end of the strike.

The company’s much-needed investment grade credit rating hanging by a threadand losing it will make the road to recovery steeper and more expensive if Boeing has to borrow more money along the way. Fitch ratings said last week that Boeing’s cash-raising efforts “support liquidity amid ongoing operational challenges” – but only if Boeing can reach an agreement to have its machinists return to work by the end of the year.

—Melvin Backman contributed to this article.

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