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1 September, 1999The contract negotiated by the Machinists and Boeing management has been endorsed by the union's membership and will thus avert a costly strike.
USA: The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers has announced that its Boeing members voted overwhelmingly in favour of accepting the three-year contract negotiated between the union and management. (For contract details, see IMF website news item dated August 31 and IAM website.)
With 86% of the 31,170 members who participated in the vote endorsing the proposed pact, this gives the strongest backing ever to a contract negotiated by the IAM. The new agreement goes into effect today, September 2.
At a time when the company faces strong competition and needs to recover its financial strength after several quarters of poor profits and even outright losses, Boeing management was particularly keen to avoid anything like the 69-day strike which was needed before signing the last contract. Boeing even made television commercials and placed newspapers ads to encourage union members to accept their offer.
The IAM is the largest union organised at Boeing and represents altogether 44,000 of Boeing's 207,000 employees at the aircraft company in the states of Washington, Oregon and Kansas.
With 86% of the 31,170 members who participated in the vote endorsing the proposed pact, this gives the strongest backing ever to a contract negotiated by the IAM. The new agreement goes into effect today, September 2.
At a time when the company faces strong competition and needs to recover its financial strength after several quarters of poor profits and even outright losses, Boeing management was particularly keen to avoid anything like the 69-day strike which was needed before signing the last contract. Boeing even made television commercials and placed newspapers ads to encourage union members to accept their offer.
The IAM is the largest union organised at Boeing and represents altogether 44,000 of Boeing's 207,000 employees at the aircraft company in the states of Washington, Oregon and Kansas.